Russian Adoption: April Girls

Mrs. Beaver:

I love adoption. I love Russia. I love Russia due to all the time I've spent in the country as a result of international adoption. You see, nine Russian children--all of whom had been orphaned by the alcoholism of their mothers--call me "Mama". Russia is dear to my heart.

I love our two youngest daughters, both born in Russia. Both have April birthdays. Both are like spring flowers blossoming before our eyes. Oksana (on the left) just turned nine, and Amy turned eleven last month.

Sadly, our family is missing an "April Girl," as I like to call them. Last year we worked hard toward adopting yet another little Russian beauty, also born in April. This precious princess was one of our Oksana's friends in her orphanage. They were playmates; Oksana and this other little "April Girl" slept in the same room. As the end of last year rolled around, we thought we were so close to adopting this little girl who would be our youngest daughter. All our paperwork was completed. We were simply waiting on THE call that a court date had been set.

Then, in late December, the Russian government shut the door to Americans willing to open their homes and families to children in Russian orphanages. We were crushed.

We still long to add this little "April Girl", and her three older brothers, to our family. The wait hasn't dimmed our desire. In fact, the government-imposed wall has only heightened our longing for these four children.

Please, please, President Putin, reopen the door to adoption. Please, Duma members, let us come get our "April Girl" and her brothers. Please consider the hearts of these children who had met their new parents and had been told that they were wanted after 2-1/2 years in an orphanage. "When will you return to take us home?" were among their last words as we waved good-bye last September. Please, President Putin and Duma members, don't let these precious children languish!

Mother's Day Reflection: A Better Plan

Mrs. Beaver:

We were never able to have children like most people do, and yet I'm the mother of twelve. God's plan was better than ours!

Twelve years ago this month, I was wrestling with whether we should double the number of our children. Mr. Beaver had already come to peace with the idea, but I was scared stiff at the thought. We'd felt led by the Lord to adopt one older Russian orphan. Then the Lord led us to the idea of adopting siblings. When we received our referral, we were shocked that our agency wanted us to adopt a trio of siblings. Like Jacob in the Old Testament God won the wrestling match--I ended up with a hip out of joint--so to speak--and we went from three children to six as the result of one court hearing in Russia in September 2001. A dozen years later, I can smile this Mother's Day and say God's plan was better.

This first of the three trios we've adopted from Russia has reached adulthood. Jaynie turned twenty this month. Cassandra will be 19 in July and Mark's 18th birthday will fall near the close of 2013. We've come to the end of parenting them as children. There's been a great deal of "hard", as the expression goes, to get to this point. But Mr. Beaver and I would tell you that most of that hard has been the result of sinfulness in the two of us. God has refined us through the parenting of Jaynie, Cassandra and Mark in ways that would have never have proven necessary if we hadn't adopted older children. Through the process, He has made us a bit more like Christ. God's plan was better.

Our role now will be to shepherd them as they make their mark on the world as adults. Watching God open doors for them is soul satisfying to Mr. Beaver and me. After all, these were cast-away kids. Living in an orphanage doesn't allow you much opportunity to develop the gifts God has placed in you. But when you're in a family your special talents stand a better chance of being recognized and utilized. God's plan is better.

While Mark is still a bit too young to have his direction settled, Jaynie and Cassandra's dreams are opening up to them. Jaynie learned this week that she has been accepted for a graphic design internship at Wells Enterprises, makers of Blue Bunny Ice Cream. For years Jaynie, who loves to draw, has had a desire to illustrate children's books, and we believe this is the first of a number of steps in that direction. God's plan is best.

Cassandra's world is also opening up before her. Months ago she pulled the two of us aside and told us she had a dream of serving orphans in Africa ~ and perhaps widows at the same time. This past week Cassandra and I attended #Summit9 hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) in Nashville. There, a "God story" began to unfold as Cassandra found a ministry that works in Zambia with orphans and widows. She was told they have just the place for the talents, skills and giftings the Lord has placed in her. We still have many details to work through before she goes, but Cassandra is so excited that she cries tears of joy when she tells the story of the Lord matching her with this ministry. God's plan is best.

If I'd had my way with motherhood, I would have given birth to four children. God has only allowed me one pregnancy, but that resulted in our beautiful twins, John and Lissie. To our great surprise, He's also given us ten other treasures through adoption. His plan has been so very different than mine. His plan has been far better than mine. His plan ~ as always ~ is best.

Russian Adoption: A Birthday She'll Never Forget

Yesterday Amy turned eleven.

We're certain she always remember this particular birthday because she spent the day in California. Her dad and brother had a week-long business trip so we decided at the last minute to  make it a family trip.

First thing in the morning, we gathered and walked to a renowned breakfast restaurant in the area.

Even thought we got there before the crowd did, our wait was still fairly long. You get used to this when you travel as an extra-large group.

Super-hungry Oksana kept checking to see if the restaurant was ready for us.

The rest of us us fellowshipped.

I was even able to sneak in a photo of our first Russian trio whom God placed in our family through adoption almost 12 years ago: Mark (17), Jaynie (almost 20) and Sarah (18).

The breakfast was outstanding--worth every minute of the wait. However, on the walk back from the restaurant, we indulged in sweatshirts for our youngest little girlies. Their goose bumps were enough to evoke our sympathy.

As a photographer, I quickly discovered the two girls looked mighty fine together in these colors. This worked out great since the duo are best friends.

Here Amy wrastled with a pink-flowered water snake...and eventually won!

Next we were off to beach...about a block away.

The birthday girl and her best buddy tentatively made their way to the water's edge. While the others had forged on ahead of them to begin wave hopping.

Later, older sisters, Jaynie (left) and Daria (right) help the birthday girl work up the courage to do a bit of wave hopping.

Mostly, though, Amy was content to play in the sand. These are her legs after some of that sand play. We weren't sure we'd ever get her clean!

After the hours of beach play, the kids were quite hungry. When we reached the restaurant, we told the birthday girl she could order anything she wanted (first time off the kids' menu!). She immediately set her heart on the "Danger Burger", a hamburger large enough to scare anyone but Amy.

We finished the day by a stroll down the Santa Monica Pier--a happening place at night. Our birthday girl was tired and happy after her first-ever birthday in such an exotic locale.

Russian Adoption: Broken Hearts

Yesterday the U.S. State Department met with Russian government officials. Today the 1,000 or so families that were caught in the process when the Russian legislature, the Duma, enacted a ban nearly four months ago on American adoption were informed of the Russian government's official position on the issue.

Our State Department was told that the ban is a law with no room for negotiation. No orphans will be allowed out. No allowances will be made for special needs children or those who are hard to place because they are older or parts of sibling groups.

Our hearts are so heavy. Since December, we've held out hope the orphans who had already been matched with families, like the three brothers and sister we were hoping to make part of our family, would still be placed. Today our hope crumbled. We've held the four kids we planned on naming Timothy, David, Luke and Katherine so close to our hearts for a whole year now. The pain is deep.

Powerful Blog: True Love

If you haven't already been exposed to the blog, Pray for Ian, I highly recommend you check out Ian and Larrisa.'s candid sharing of their lives together following a traumatic brain injury Ian experienced in an auto accident.

The most recent post includes a link to a recently published magazine article about their union, which is marked by suffering but made beautiful by God's grace and their commitment to one another in sickness and in health.

The video below captures the young couple's beautiful wedding.

Eric and Lissie: A Few Pictures of the Engaged Couple

Mrs. Beaver:

Back in January, Eric, who was courting Lissie, stayed with us for two weeks. Before he returned to Boston and she departed for Central Asia, they allowed me to take some photos of the two of them outside the nearby Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor.

Now they only have two months left until they get to see one another and five months until their wedding. Their blossoming relationship is inspiring many of us to remember just how pure and beautiful a love story can be when that story is written by God.

Russian Adoption: Tremendous Progress in our Princess

Oksana ~ adopted November 2010

Mrs. Beaver:

Sometimes it's good to look back.

When living from day-to-day following the adoption of an older child, it can be easy to miss just how far that child has come. This evening I stumbled upon a post (My Little Beauty) from just over a year ago. It's too late tonight to do a true update. Suffice it to say that Oksana, who will be nine this month, has come so far since I penned those words. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of her progress is her joy in learning. Oh my, how I love this little girl!

I thank the Lord that he placed this precious orphan with a learning disability in a family where she can get the attention she needs to reach her full potential. Her orphanage was truly an amazing place, but Oksana's intellectual needs could have been so easily missed in the crowd.

Thank you, Lord, for interceding in the life of this fatherless child by placing her in our home.