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

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 ;-).

Hugging orphanage director, Kristiana goodbye.

So nice to get to visit Edvards & Helena in their home town of  Saldus.  They seem to be doing very well.

Finally flying home!

Beautiful buildings in Riga

Universal

Greetings family & friends!
Here it is Friday night, I feel like it's so close to the day we'll be heading home!  Yay!  But of course we cannot complain at all, we're together - mommy, daddy, & Vita.  💗  Our highlights this week begin with our social worker visit, which went very well.  The three women who came were the two officials from the orphan court and Vita's orphanage director, Kristiana.  They have known Vita since she was about six, and really care for her.  They are very happy for her to be adopted.  She apparently gave them a good report on us! 👏. We served tea, and shared photos from back home, and things we've done since we've had Vita here in Latvia.  They were all talking away, with occasional translation for us from Ilma, with a sweet smile.  She was so encouraging!  At the end Kristiana was hugging Vita and talking to her in such a sweet motherly, loving way.  It was a moment I'll always remember.  Ilma told us that they were all three noticing and commenting that they could discern a different countenance on Vita already!  Our next appointment with them is on Monday, back on their turf, and at that point they will hopefully be approving our taking Vita home to the U.S. for "hosting."  We will also visit the U.S. Embassy Monday afternoon, to put in for her travel visa.
Later Wednesday evening we met another American Mom and adopted daughter, who just had their second trip, and were about to go home Thursday morning.  It was really nice spending the evening visiting with them, and Vita loved chatting with the 16 year old.
On Thursday we visited a super fun indoor water park, sliding down slides, splashing and playing like kids.  It was a beautiful park, and we all enjoyed it so much!  We were all good and worn out by the end of our two hours, for sure!
Tomorrow we plan to take a 2 hour bus ride to visit with Edvards & Helena, who we had hosted last summer.  We're really hoping to have a good visit with them and their Aunt and a cousin, and to be able to encourage them.  Today when I was purchasing a small gift for E & H's Aunt Sarmite, the cashier, a woman who seemed about my age said, 'please' when she gave me change, when she meant to say thank you.  This made me feel so much better, as I've had a mental block this entire trip over the fact that in Latvian you say Ludzu for 'please' AND 'you're welcome,' and 'thank you' is Paldies.  Now I think the Lord had that happen just so I could see that these struggles are universal!
On Sunday we're looking forward to attending the Latvian church again in Riga.
Feeling very thankful for your prayers and encouraging comments,
Robin

Mushrooms

Greetings Friends and Family,
We've been keeping pretty busy since I last posted.  We had a wonderful day on Saturday with a drive out into the country with our landlord Ugis.  He's a native Latvian, and a father of five, so was very good with Vita and put her at ease.  We had a great time exploring two castles that date back to the 1200's, getting amazing photo opps, and buying a few souvenirs along the way.  We had a very yummy lunch in a great restaurant, and then a hike in a mature pine forest park trail, complete with bears, foxes, owls, and lynx all contained in natural surroundings-type enclosures along the way.  So, you know who enjoyed that as much as anyone!
On the way out of town, we were at a gas station (very Sheetz-like) getting coffee, and two American young women heard us talking so asked us where we're from.  They are missionaries here, and one of them KNEW Vita!!  She had gone to their Christian summer camp!  So once again, God brought them across our path at just the right time, and we were so encouraged by that.  They hugged Vita and  high-fived with her that we were adopting her!
On Sunday we were able to attend a church in Riga, where the gospel was clearly preached, in a strong message by a young man who was actually filling the pulpit for the regular pastor, about false prophets, and the lies we can be trapped by to keep us from the narrow way.  The young woman who sat behind us translating for us was so sweet, and even helped us get to the right tram stop for where we wanted to go after church.  She had spent a great deal of time in Texas, and was completely proficient in English.  We loved feeling so welcome there and knowing this was a fellowship of other followers of Christ.  I especially enjoyed their musicians, two cellists, an acoustic guitar, and two vocalists harmonizing beautifully!  The songs were familiar, but of course in Latvian, so I could at least hum along.  We hope to go there again next Sunday.
We're really enjoying getting to know Vita more, and teaching her about Christian living along the way.  She seems to absorb everything like a sponge.  She loves Dutch Blitz, Phase 10, and Rummikub.  We've enjoyed the movies Akeelah and the Bee, as well as Hidalgo.  Vita tore right through reading Peter Pan, and has started on Charlotte's Web.  This focused time together is so fruitful.  We're planning to see Edvards and Helena perhaps this Saturday, so very glad about that.  We've been keeping in touch with them through gmail.
I keep asking Mike what are we doing that makes us stick out so and get so many stares everywhere we go.  Even without hearing us speaking people find us so odd somehow, still trying to figure that one out.  But I'm really glad there have been English speaking people most places, and many menus have English on them.  (But you cannot trust that ordering a pepperoni pizza will mean only pepperoni - watch out for mushrooms, they're everywhere!)
That's all for now - we miss you all, and really appreciate all of your prayers and messages!

Angel and the Tram

Hello All -
Sorry the pictures aren't coming through.  Guess I'll give up on that.  We want to tell about our first try at going into Old Riga on the city Tram system.  We walked from our apartment to the stop we thought it was, and decided to ask another young lady who was standing there if we were doing the right thing.  I said "Excuse me, is this the right stop for going into Old Riga?"  She smiled so sweetly and said in perfect English "Yes, this is the right one!"  Then when she was getting ready to get off, she made sure we were getting off too.  Pretty neat that she was there and riding to the same place we wanted to go right at that time.  Then when we got off she told us exactly where to walk.  We did great after that , and enjoyed being in that area, walking the cobblestone streets, visiting a church dating as far back as 1209!  There were also stands of home made traditional items such as dolls, socks, jewelry - fun shopping!  We also went to see the famous Central Market, which is literally blocks and blocks of stands with everything from fruit, baked goods, meat, clothes, shoes . . . . Tried taking pictures but it is impossible to describe the vastness of it!  The weather has been picture perfect, 67 degrees, sunshine, blue skies, maybe an occasional breeze.  So funny, I guess because it gets very chilly at night, and people do a LOT of walking, they seem much more bundled up than we are.  I'm fine in a sleeveless top, Capri pants, and a light sweater, but we see people with big coats and scarves on.  Can't figure that one out. Anyway, later that evening back in our "home neighborhood" we were walking back from the nearby shopping center (mall), when we saw the sweet helpful young lady again.  We said hello, and she so kindly asked how we did getting ourselves back home.  We thought it was so amazing that we "happened" to run into her again!  The timing of all that we did during the day, and the likelihood that we'd see her again in this city . . . I'm thinking God is showing us how He's caring for us, giving us such a beautiful helpful Angel!  That all took place on Wednesday, then yesterday (Thursday) we took a cab to the zoo across town.  We had a very nice time there, probably I loved it the most of all.  Vita is calling us Mom and Dad mostly, which we are very happy about.  We had some time there to play frisbee, and included a family with some little girls who seemed very interested.  That was very pretty.  The zoo is on quite a lovely spot on the Riga Bay (of the Baltic Sea), so great photo spot.  Also, our kind landlord Ugis had dropped off a DVD player, he borrowed from a friend for our use.  So we enjoyed relaxing and watching Princess Bride together.
That's all for now, thank you for praying for us.  God is answering!

Paldies

Guess what!  We've got Vita!

A happy reunion day!

Today we had our court appointment, and it went very well.  Our adoption attorney Daina was so sweet and helpful, and the court officials were kind and put us at ease.  We had an excellent translator, so that made it all smooth.  I even had a very special moment on the beach with Vita in which she unexpectedly offered "I want to be adopted and I'm not going to change my mind!"  Now we have the rest of this week to enjoy being together in this area, and have a final court day before coming home.   It is great fun being together and Vita beat us both at Phase 10, and is trying to help us learn a few Latvian words.

All I can say is Paldies Dievs - Thank The Lord!