Family and Friends!

I have decided in part at least to dedicate this post to you all. When you journey through something such as what we are up to you truly discover the significance of family and friends. You sort of expect it from your own and we may not be here at all if our family hadn't been so supportive from the start. From start to finish it will be a 2 year endeavor. I guess we just never expected so many of our friends to be following along and adding words of encouragement and hope. I guess unless you walk in our shoes it is hard to appreciate the difference it has made. Deddie has used the term isolated and it is pretty discriptive of how you feel at times. I have wanted from the beginning to be as honest and accurate as I can possibly be. Even though we are literally thousands of miles from you right now in the physical we feel very close to you in the spiritual. We also new that this kind of a journey would be a once in a life time experience. When I think back over the past two years it didn't seem like it would ever happen. Now that we are this close to it all being official in some ways its like living out a dream and your going to wake up and begin your normal routine. I would say at this point that even though you anticipate a certain thing,when its right in front of you and you can touch it , its an incredible feeling. I feel that each day we are seeing a little more of a break through, not just in the fact that Canada seems to be an ok idea now. I really feel that regardless of where we were from it has been a simple process of Nastya trusting us enough to get on that plane and leave all she knows. I've tried the best I can to walk in her shoes and think of whats going on in her world. You know its impossible to do. I was never abandoned or left alone, its funny I remember my sister saying to me when we lost mom and dad within 7 months of one another back in 98, you know we are orhans now. I realize in a sence that it is true, but there is a world of difference in being left in an orphanage at 5 and the natural process of loosing ones parents. For those of us that have had our parents through those formative years what a blessing was ours. And for those of you that still have them be truly thankful.
Last night on my walk back I passed right by the baby orphanage, which is right outside our apartment window. In the stillness of the evening I could here the faint cries from within. I stopped just for a second and thought of how unnatural it was that these children would be there without their mom and dad. Thankfully they have the caregivers that do the best they can, but I couldn't help but think of what their future was. I guess it helps me realize what this was all about from the beginning, giving one little girl an opportunity to feel secure at night and know that she has a mom and a dad there that love her and will care for her every need. As well , beyond that to give her a chance at a career or whatever she might choose in life. The task ahead isn't all going to be easy but we believe in our hearts that it will truly be worth it all.
As you can tell from this post it is a time of reflection and anticipation as we hope to have this all made official on Thurs. Well I'll shut it down for now, and get back to you tomorrow. Our many thanks to all of you as you have hung in there with us and especially for the prayer support as we know there has been lots.
Our Love to all, Randy and Debbie.
PS, Today Ed was in the area and dropped by for a visit, he was the fellow that gave me such wonderful words of wisdom the other night. When he extented his hand for a shake I went right through it and gave him a big hug. I said thats the least I can do for what you did for me, he's really a special guy and I won't soon forget him.