The wait is almost over!!

The wait is almost over. Today was the tenth day since the court approved our petition to adopt Emily. On Tuesday, I will get the court decree officially making Laura and I the parents of Emily Rebecca Mertes. The gravity of this event has consumed my thoughts the last few days. We will be responsible for providing her with a home, the love of a family, and safety. As her parents, it is also our responsibility to provide her with the confidence and tools necessary to be successful in life and to achieve her dreams. These seem like simple things to provide for a child but they have been missing from Emily’s life up to this point. My heart is deeply touched that Emily trusts us to provide her with these necessities.

We did not start this journey with the intention of saving a child from the uncertain future of aging out of an orphanage. We came to Ukraine because we fell in love with Emily and wanted her to be our daughter. Emily has such a sweet heart and an amazing personality that it is easy to fall in love with her. She charmed everyone in our family. Rachel and Megan fell in love with her and are so excited to have her for a sister. Both of our extended families fell in love with her and are welcoming her into the family with open arms. My mother, my sister, and Laura’s parents helped us make this trip possible. Thank you for taking care of Rachel and Megan while we were gone.

Today’s visit at the orphanage was great. Emily entered the room and gave me a really tight hug. The hug lasted a long time too. She must have hugged me for about 5 minutes. Then, Emily and I went for a walk. The walks are starting to become a habit. It appears to be Emily’s way of dealing with the excitement that she will soon be leaving the orphanage for good. I enjoy these walks with Emily. We talk about home and family. These are two things that Emily is so excited to have now. Again, we stopped in a few shops and I bought her some snacks.

When we returned to the orphanage, Emily practiced the English alphabet with one of the books I bought her yesterday. She already knows many of the letters and enjoyed showing me what she has learned so far. When the time for me to leave arrived, Emily asked if she could keep the book so she could keep working with it. I told her she could keep it.

Emily walked with me to the front door. We hugged, kissed, and said, “I love you.”