Home from 2nd trip!!!!! 3rd trip on Friday!!!!!

Court went well on Thursday and now we have to wait the 10 days before we can pick up our little Isabelle. The 10 days turned out to be not business days, but literal days.....................though the 10th day can not fall on a weekend because of paperwork. The 11th day is when we can finally finish the paperwork. Well, our 10th day falls on the 7th.............................NEXT Sunday!!!!!

So, I will be returning to Russia THIS FRIDAY!!!!! and will have full custody of Isabelle on Sunday afternoon, though I won't be able to leave Samara or finish paperwork until Tuesday the 9th. Then I will travel back to Moscow until the 14th to finish paperwork there and finally bring her home.

We could not have done all this without your prayers and help!!! We SO appreciate the love and care of our church family!!!! Thank you for rejoicing with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Please pray for me as I come back to get Isabelle without Gary........................my cousin is going with me so that Gary can hopefully get a job (focusing better without me there honestly). So, I get to become a mom.......................kinda by myself.............for a week. That's pretty scarey for me since Gary helps me so much. Fortunately, I will have a stroller....................so I won't have to carry her every where.

2. Please pray for Gary as he is home by himself for the week and also for his job hunting.

3. Please continue to pray for our finances in this. We have less than a week to get the remaining "cash in hand", and though Gary is not going with us, we are paying for my cousins tickets, etc. because we asked her to come in place of Gary so that Gary could try to make money. So, she is losing some money to come and didn't ask to come in the first place.

Even more so than the current adoption monies, I will be off for about 10 weeks this school year (maternity leave) without pay so that Isabelle can adjust and bond correctly. We NEED Gary to have a full-time teaching position to pay the bills. We've also discussed, even more than ever, about selling our home as it eats up a majority of our funds each month (high mortgage, not because it's falling apart).

4. Please pray for this next trip and my cousin Stacey. She's a great woman of God and has always wanted to do orphan missions work (Africa preferrably though). She needs prayers that God will use this not just as a missions trip for her (giving others to minister to), but also that God will use this time to guide her in what He has in store for her next.

Also, she's in her early 30's and still single, has ALWAYS wanted to be a mother and wanted to help children in every possible way. I know that seeing these orphans will break her heart, but it will also stir more things up inside her. Please pray that God keeps her heart from breaking too much and that whatever happens will be a positive growth for Stacey, as well as our relationship.

5. Also please pray that Isabelle will adjust to being away from the orphanage quickly and that being out on the busy streets of Moscow will not be too much of an overload for her. Also that our trip back will be pleasant and easy to handle with her having a "lap" ticket. If we'd gotten her a regular ticket, we'd have had to pay about $2400 and that's just 1 way and more than the adult round trip tickets we have!!!! I can't hold her the whole time (because of my back and hip issues-- see ya Tuesday Dr. Tonte!!!!), so pray that there's an empty seat beside us as well!!!

Now, for a little of an update about getting to Samara on Tuesday--

We arrived about 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Samara and our translator apologized for realizing that she would be too busy on Wednesday to take us to the orphanage, so we went to the orphanage straight from the airport!!!! We were tired (but not that bad) and hadn't eaten. Once we got close, I realized that I hadn't had any time to put the workers "gifts" in the bags yet..................so before we went in, I scrambled to do that.

When we headed inside, I was delighted to see that they were renovating the inside of the orphanage. The kitchen was being totally redone (from what I can tell) and they were painting the walls.................it was a work in progress, but I was excited to see it.

We waited patiently for several minutes while they figured out where to put our gifts (by the way, I have to take the rest of the baby powder this next trip because there was so much and weighed alot!!!! THANKS!!!)..................Isabelle (Yulia) had been sleeping because it was about 7:30 at that point. When they brought her into the room and I said hi (from across the room) her eyes lit up and she got a BIG smile on her face. My goodness, I knew at that point that I was TOTALLY HOOKED on this little one....................she's only 1, so there's no way she remembered me from 1.5 months ago, but she was acting like she did!!! She was so much more active this time. She still doesn't walk, but her feet are flat on the ground now and she gets around REALLY well in the walker. In the walker, she trekked across the room to check out a stuffed animal...............knowing I only had an hour this time to be with her, I called her name..........and she came back!!!!!! I was so amazed at that!!! Gary and I played with her for such a great time, the hour FLEW by!!!!! It was really hard leaving her there. I kept telling her, and myself, that I'd be back to get her in 2 weeks (actually, it'll be 12 days from then), but it was a killer knowing that I wasn't going to get to hold her, play with her, or talk to her for the next 2 weeks.

We then went to the hotel. The next day we went to our 8 Dr. appointment. It went quickly and well. They asked us a lot of questions that seemed silly and funny to us, but they wanted to make sure we were healthy enough to be around for a while.

We went to court on Thursday and there was a delay because 1 of Isabelle's papers didn't make it there. We waited for about an hour, then they finally started. The interpreter was even nervous because the prosecutor understands English as well............so she couldn't just tell the judge what she wanted to hear.

The questions (I think because of the delay) were surprisingly short....................and we were officially declared the parents to Isabelle Hope Yulia Casebier!!!!!! We are now parents, though we have to wait the 10 days, just in case WE might change our minds...............................yeah right!!!!

Well, we came back to Moscow that night and have been dealing with getting some cultural items for her since then.

Today we road the long flights home...........it took about 17 hours to get home and we are both sore and tired!!!! However, my adrenaline is still really pumping as now I have to hurry and get ready to go pick her up NEXT Sunday!!!!!! I have to leave on Friday to get there by Sunday at noon-time..........I don't understand why I have to go at noon, but that's when I have to be there and it's playing rough on getting everything done here.............so please pray for that and rest as well as the trip coming up VERY shortly!!!!

I missed everyone and have some great pictures of the 3 of us together that I want to share, but I probably won't get to it this week..........go figure!!!

Those that have sent us shower gifts -- I hope to get our thankyou's out before I go.........but may not be able to. Please know that we are TOTALLY grateful for everything and are really psyched about getting to do this...........I'm just kinda going crazy trying to get everything done right now and still work (yes, I am going back to work tomorrow for 4 days!!!).

Gotta run and work on packing again..........

Thanks a lot for the prayers and keeping all of us in your thoughts..........I really miss all my family and internet friends right now, you keep my stress down!!!

Terri for the Casebier's!!!! WAY TOO EXCITED (not sure how someone can be TOO EXCITED) about going to get Isabelle next Sunday!!!!

Traveling Tomorrow!!!!

Well everyone..........we are headed out in the afternoon..............we are VERY excited, but at the same time we have some more prayer requests.

Please pray for our traveling mercies (including no pain this time from dealing with luggage and getting enough water/sleep)..........

Pray for our physicals on Wednesday........if I'm feeling then like I am now, I don't know what the 8 doctors will say.

Pray for our court time on Thursday that it will go smoothly. We're not planning on them waiving the 10 day wait.........which turns out to be a good thing because we were informed last week that we needed to get yet another apostille from Austin.........guess we all know where Gary will be heading the 1st week of October!!!!

Please also pray for our health. Allergies (ragweed) have hit hard already and I'm not feeling well at all!!! I am on my regular allergy medications, but also on antibiotics for another couple days and cough suppressant. Gary also has allergies but hasn't had as severe a reaction as I have......pray that I don't end up giving him something on top of his allergies.

I am SO ready for Isabelle to be home and to be able to treat her like she's our baby.........and though I'm really excited about getting to go look for cultural items for Isabelle's keepsakes and having a "new" journey in Russia, the allergies leave me less than excited about getting on a plane or about walking around outside. Hopefully Russia will have a VERY low pollen count!!!

Well, I gotta go help Gary finish packing (mostly done)............

Thanks for following along and for praying for our family as we go from being a couple to becoming a couple with child to becoming a family (adding Hannah as well).

Terri for the Casebier's

2nd Trip Dates!!!

Well, we received our court date on Tuesday............it's September 27th and we have to be there no later than the evening of the 25th.

I decided not to post until I had the travel plans set up. So here they are:

We leave on the afternoon of the 21st (I'm taking 1/2 day off) and getting to Moscow the 22nd. Originally we'd planned on touring Moscow after we had Isabelle, but we have since come to our senses............and figured that a 1 yr old girl, new to us and ALL of her surroundings, might be a little cranky. Plus she would also require naps/feeding times............so won't be able to gather cultural information for Isabelle once we have her..................AND we probably won't be going back ANYTIME soon (probably not ever)............so we need to get this type of information for her now, so that when she asks about where she's from, we'll be able to answer her.

ANYWAY!!!! Back to the itinerary.......

21 SEP 07 - FRIDAY
AIR LUFTHANSA FLT:439 330P
LV DALLAS FT WORTH 09HR50MIN

22 SEP 07 - SATURDAY
AR FRANKFURT FLT:3184 820A

LUFTHANSA
LV FRANKFURT 1050A
03HR 00MIN
AR MOSCOW SHEREMETYEVO 2 350P


25 SEP 07 - TUESDAY
AIR AEROFLOT FLT:831 150P
LV MOSCOW 1HR 55MIN

AR SAMARA 445P


27 SEP 07 - THURSDAY
AIR AEROFLOT FLT:832 620P
LV SAMARA 01HR 50MIN

AR MOSCOW SVO 710P


30 SEP 07 - SUNDAY
AIR LUFTHANSA FLT:3189 705A
LV MOSCOW SVO 03HR 15MIN

AR FRANKFURT 820A

AIR LUFTHANSA FLT:438 1005A
LV FRANKFURT 10HR 45MIN

AR DALLAS FT WORTH 150P

All this, plus I am returning to work on the 1st.......so that I can work as many days as I can before we bring her home!!! :):):)

Prayer requests:

1. Please continue to pray for her health and her transition with all that will be new.
2. Please continue to pray for our finances. That Gary will get a job. I will not be paid for about 9.5 weeks this year (being out for maternity -- bonding time and then again for her surgery time).......God is going to have to do something supernatural for us. We need to be able to pay bills and pay for our bare essentials as well.
3. Please pray that our travel will be more smooth this time. Last trip I came back in a lot of pain, and we moved to a different hotel each night. That's another reason for staying in Moscow and catching our breath before taking the next flights.

Thank you again so much for all of your prayers!!!!

Terri for the Casebier's

Update on the wait for a court date

Hi everyone..............just wanted to let you know that we finally received notice today that the documents from Moscow have finally been received by the interpreter..........now we are just waiting for the judge to return from his/her vacation on Monday to get the final word on when our court date is. We are planning that it will be at least 2 weeks from the call.........so hopefully around the 25th. Then we would return to get her around the 9th.

Thanks for continuing to pray. We had a WONDERFUL family reunion this last weekend, and we received some great gifts, including some financial help towards our trips.........we are still about $1000 short of the "cash in hand" for the 2 trips and need the flights and hotel costs as well, but I am still sure that it will all come together as we NEED it..............God's still faithful and HE's still in control of this adoption...........not the Russian government, or us..........

:):):)

I'll post pictures from the reunion and our 1st baby shower EVER this weekend........after I recover from another week at school...........lol

Terri for the Casebier's.................