Final Trip!

Hello Everyone -
Thank you to everyone who's been following along with us on our adoption of Vita.  We truly are thankful and blessed to have so much love and support holding us up along the way.  This next week Mike and Vita will travel to Latvia for the final trip in the process, appointments with the American Embassy in Riga to finalize Vita's becoming an official citizen of the USA!  They leave on Sat., March 14th and return on Friday, March 20th.  It's been a tedious process, but thanks in large part to Mike's diligence with all of the forms and filings, we're almost done - YAY!  Vita is very happy, as are we, that all of this will soon be behind us.  Our adoption agency (Adoption Related Services) representative, Kelly Barth, has been so great to work with, and so patiently answering questions and offering advice.  We are very thankful for her, and certainly owe her a great debt of gratitude for keeping us on track.  Our attorney in Riga, Daina Roze has done such an excellent job representing us, and made everything go as smoothly as it possibly could have.  She is such a great lady, and we truly are glad to know her.  Vita's children's home director Kristiana Andersone is also a very big part of this story, with many encouraging words and prayers for Vita for many years, and especially her support to Vita in her decision to become adopted.  There are many staff members at that children's home that serve the children very lovingly, and truly care about them, so I am very thankful for each of them!  They probably work tirelessly, and without a lot of recognition, doing a work that may only be rewarded in eternity.
You are a part of our story, in a very real way.  It's a mystery how prayer works, but all I know is - IT DOES, God chooses to be moved by prayer and we have felt His hand in all of this!  So to say thank you for the prayers is truly an understatement, but I really mean it!  Now if you hear of someone else that you know who may undertake this process, you can know how important and real it is to be praying for them.  God cares about orphans, He says it over and over.  How cool is that - you have been a part of something God really cares about!
Sincerely,
Robin & Mike (& Vita!)

Let's Do This!

Thanksgiving 2014

Hello Again Everyone -
Since it's been a while, I want to let everyone know what's been going on, and how we're doing in the process of our adoption of Vita.  We had a very full and busy Thanksgiving and Christmas time, and Vita loved all of the gatherings with family and friends.  It was especially joyful to welcome two brand new grandchildren born to our family in September and November.  She's met many family members, and has still more to meet.  She's been playing basketball, taking swimming lessons, attending Community Bible Study, going to church and learning to play the piano.  She loves going to our church middle school youth group, and Classical Conversations home school co-op.
We sure do appreciate the love and support so many of you have shown us, and the prayers you've prayed for us are surely felt.  It's been a big adjustment for all of us, but God is showing us His hand each day and I'm learning that He's continuing to provide encouragement and support to us with each challenge.  Tomorrow we fly to Latvia again for a court appointment.  It is our understanding that after this appointment, we will soon receive the "decision" from the court and they will consider Vita to be adopted by us.   Our court appointment is Friday, January 30, and our flight home is the next day.  We are all happy this is a much shorter trip, and Vita's especially happy she won't miss swimming lessons on Monday!  ;-)  After this we expect about a six week time period before we receive an appointment with the US Embassy in Riga, Latvia.  At that time we are to have a medical exam done there in Riga, and receive Vita's official US passport and citizenship.
Thankful for each of you, and for all the support.
Sincerely,
Robin & Mike

Five siblings!

Vita and Bauer

Vita with Jovie Kathleen Anderson