Home again.

Tamara, these pictures are for you! The flowers are blooming all over the back yard and to the north of the driveway. Spring has sprung!!! Sorry there are no pictures of Soren but here are Loki and Cleo. Since I am a dog-liker and not a dog-lover poor Cleo was chased out of "my" bed. She seemed perfectly happy to sleep with Soren though.


Loki did her usual,"no, I'm not on the seating...see, I've got 3 feet on the floor". He cracked me up with his antics!!

Bill got home at 11 last night and was he tired! It was the same as the trip to Russia with Tamara. Everything turned out fine at the court but not without a glitch. After all the questions to Tam and Bill and the recommendations on their behalf the judge questioned the head of the orphanage and the ministry of education. Seems the records showed that a year ago the mother had said she would like to come and take Anja home. She never showed up so the ministry assumed that was lack of interest. The court process says that she must be contacted again. I can understand the courts feeling BUT what an awful 24 hours that was. I know how worried I was and can hardly imagine how many time that feeling was multiplied for Tam and Bill. The case workers traveled 7 hours each way to the city where Anja's was last known to live.She was found and gave permission to give up her rights. Our prayers were answered. She never had said that she wanted to reclaim Anja. It was her friends who said she "might" want Anja back. When the judge heard everything he said "da" and Bill and Tam had a daughter!! Anja doesn't know what is ahead of her but she is going to have a wonderful Mom and Dad and big brother to love her and give her a bright future. And, there are 2 sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to love and spoil her.