Hi everyone...........
I just wanted to let you know what is going on with Isabelle's health.
1st ~~ We have seen an ENT and her hearing is good, though there is fluid behind her ears (VERY common in cleft palate). So, we will be having tubes put in her ears during her palate surgery next month.
2nd ~~ Her cleft palate surgery is scheduled for noon on Dec. 4th. Before then, we have to get her off the bottle and off the pacifier. These are the only 2 items she really has from the orphanage still, so she'll be losing her "comforts"........please pray that the transition gets going and is fairly easy.
3rd ~~ Speech therapy has started because Isabelle has quite a few "feeding" issues. She doesn't like to put anything EDIBLE in her mouth (other than through a bottle), only those things that aren't edible. We need this to get her off the bottle/pacifier.
4th ~~ She has had her OT evaluation and, though we have seen a TON of improvement in the last month, she will be starting occupational therapy soon. There are some sensory integration issues and some developmental delays that we will be working on through this.
Isabelle is SO smart and LOVES to explore!!!! She's not too afraid to put her hands in things, as long as it doesn't stick to her hands...........:):):)
She is really doing well. She still doesn't walk or cruise around things (other than her playpen), but she has SO much going for her. I THINK she's gained about 2 pounds just since she's been home AND her little legs are getting a lot stronger (through walking with us letting her hold our fingers).
We also have been able to get pictures done for our adoption announcements........so I'll post them soon.
Well, it's hard keeping up now because she continues to have problems with schedules................just now she woke up again..............
I will post more later.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!!!!
Terri for the Casebier's
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Update from home
Hi everyone..............we got home last Sunday and things have been a blur since then.
In Russia Isabelle showed me what she learned from the orphanage.........they have them sit on the potty after changing them, so each time I changed her diaper, she would go pee again right afterward.................one day she peed 4 times on me........that's right, on me..........and all her clothes. Boy I must LOVE this child............lol
She stayed in a playpen while we had her in Russia and she was fine with it. The moment we got back, she refused to use a playpen. Gary was up most of the 1st night with her (she'd slept a COUPLE hours on the plane AND had a 10 hour time change). He finally got her to sleep (after waking me up 2-3 times when he tried to put her in the playpen and she'd wake up) about 5 a.m......................
Going from no children to 1 that's on a major time change AND a toddler is hard...........she doesn't sleep as much as the orphanage noted and DEFINITELY less than a newborn.............and needs EVERYTHING!!!!!
Tuesday I took her for her 1st well baby check. After getting 3 shots and having to get blood drawn twice, as well as give a potty sample............she's got to do it all again in another month..............they have to update her shots, do another potty sample (she's got a bug right now), and give some blood again.........I'm not looking forward to the fussiness again.
Monday (yesterday) we went to our 1st cleft dr. appointment. He said that she immediately needs to get off of the bottle (she'll only eat by bottle) and the pacifier before she can have her surgery..............the bottle and pacifier are her only Russian comforts left. I wanted to get her on solid foods, but then I thought about how she's going to have to be on liquids for 3 weeks after surgery............SO, we have to change her diet only to change it back!!!! Add stress so that later we can change that back.........and then back again!!!!!! YUCK!
The cleft dr. said that we should be able to have her surgery in Dec. or Jan.......he also said that we shouldn't do ANY daycare in the meantime..............we need to have it in Decemeber (not just because it's earlier and better for her, but because I have to go back to work soon, esp. if I can't stick her in daycare before surgery).............
Well, his scheduler called today and told me all the details of the surgery........then asked me if I wanted surgery in Dec. or Jan. when I told her Dec., she promptly told me that she didn't have any 3 hour surgeries in December...........she told me to call back later though.
I just called back and got a surgery scheduled for December 4th.........at noon............so we'll have to keep her up on the 3rd til midnight or so.........so that when she wakes up (hopefully around 10 am) she won't be up as long without eating...............but usually she's STARVING when she wakes up.
So, let me recap prayer requests:
1. Transitioning her off the bottle and pacifier
2. Her food eating sensory issues (appointment on this Thurs. afternoon)
3. Ear dr. appointment not scheduled yet(most cleft babies need tubes put in and we
need to see if Isabelle needs this)
4. Surgery on the 4th of December!!!!! and the recovery time (3 weeks, yes, that's
Christmas day!!!)
Thanks for following on our journey with Isabelle.................
Terri for the Casebier's
In Russia Isabelle showed me what she learned from the orphanage.........they have them sit on the potty after changing them, so each time I changed her diaper, she would go pee again right afterward.................one day she peed 4 times on me........that's right, on me..........and all her clothes. Boy I must LOVE this child............lol
She stayed in a playpen while we had her in Russia and she was fine with it. The moment we got back, she refused to use a playpen. Gary was up most of the 1st night with her (she'd slept a COUPLE hours on the plane AND had a 10 hour time change). He finally got her to sleep (after waking me up 2-3 times when he tried to put her in the playpen and she'd wake up) about 5 a.m......................
Going from no children to 1 that's on a major time change AND a toddler is hard...........she doesn't sleep as much as the orphanage noted and DEFINITELY less than a newborn.............and needs EVERYTHING!!!!!
Tuesday I took her for her 1st well baby check. After getting 3 shots and having to get blood drawn twice, as well as give a potty sample............she's got to do it all again in another month..............they have to update her shots, do another potty sample (she's got a bug right now), and give some blood again.........I'm not looking forward to the fussiness again.
Monday (yesterday) we went to our 1st cleft dr. appointment. He said that she immediately needs to get off of the bottle (she'll only eat by bottle) and the pacifier before she can have her surgery..............the bottle and pacifier are her only Russian comforts left. I wanted to get her on solid foods, but then I thought about how she's going to have to be on liquids for 3 weeks after surgery............SO, we have to change her diet only to change it back!!!! Add stress so that later we can change that back.........and then back again!!!!!! YUCK!
The cleft dr. said that we should be able to have her surgery in Dec. or Jan.......he also said that we shouldn't do ANY daycare in the meantime..............we need to have it in Decemeber (not just because it's earlier and better for her, but because I have to go back to work soon, esp. if I can't stick her in daycare before surgery).............
Well, his scheduler called today and told me all the details of the surgery........then asked me if I wanted surgery in Dec. or Jan. when I told her Dec., she promptly told me that she didn't have any 3 hour surgeries in December...........she told me to call back later though.
I just called back and got a surgery scheduled for December 4th.........at noon............so we'll have to keep her up on the 3rd til midnight or so.........so that when she wakes up (hopefully around 10 am) she won't be up as long without eating...............but usually she's STARVING when she wakes up.
So, let me recap prayer requests:
1. Transitioning her off the bottle and pacifier
2. Her food eating sensory issues (appointment on this Thurs. afternoon)
3. Ear dr. appointment not scheduled yet(most cleft babies need tubes put in and we
need to see if Isabelle needs this)
4. Surgery on the 4th of December!!!!! and the recovery time (3 weeks, yes, that's
Christmas day!!!)
Thanks for following on our journey with Isabelle.................
Terri for the Casebier's
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Russia Update
Hi everyone!!!
Isabelle greeted Stacey (my cousin) and I warmly on Sunday afternoon. Our flights (except a couple hiccups) and our road trip to the orphanage went well. Everything (at that point) that I warned Stacey about went just the opposite of my warning (like the Moscow customs line that's usually VERY hard to get through and long, had no line at all basically, though they were still slow and I was the 2nd to last to get through...........:):):) ).
The road trip back from the orphanage was a bear though. It took us at least an extra hour to get back to the city and hotel. That night we tried to feed her, but she wouldn't eat. We couldn't figure out the formula/baby food combinations, but tried. I figured she was just tired and put her to bed. A few hours later she was up again and still wouldn't eat. I got concerned and tried to call our translator, but her phone number wasn't available. The next morning she still would not eat, though she was VERY hungry and fussy by then. So, I tried to use a a spoon with the baby food (like we do in the States) and she was so hungry that she let me do that for a little bit. We finally figured out that it was possibly the nipple on the bottles that was bothering her. She wouldn't even let me put the bottle in her mouth, though she would look at it longingly.
We headed to the store and got some more bottles and a couple other small items and went back to try it out. She was still apprehensive, but "aunt" Stacey held her arms and made her try it. She wasn't fussy very long at that point. I think she'd just got to the point where she didn't trust the nipples and that's why she wouldn't try out the new ones. The American bottles are not what she's used to, and the Russian ones don't touch her cleft palate the same way. Up to this point we hadn't seen any bm, but thanks to Whitney (Stacey's sister in Colorado) we knew we were ok with just the formula for now (she won't eat the babyfood unless we mix it somehow with the formula).
Last night she woke up again late (but I was up anyway) and she went back to sleep laying on top of me, then beside me..........................from which point I eventually was able to move her into the playpen. She seems to be bonding very well to me AND to Stacey. I think the real test will be when we see her around others (esp. women) and if she'll cling to me rather than just going off with anyone.
Today (Tuesday) she is an absolute pistol. I was concerned yesterday because she was being so quiet in her crib. I was concerned that she'd learned not to cry because it did her no good. Well, she's quite over that!!!! She's not only crying, but babbling up a storm. It's hard to get her to nap on the orphanages schedule.................but she's finally down for a little right now.
We head back to Moscow in a couple hours. All of our paperwork here is done (as of today). Tomorrow I get to hear her full lung capacity at the dr. office..........yuck! Then Thursday we are at the US Consulate and Friday at the Russian Embassy..............wow, I sure am going to be well versed at these government things now. We're in Moscow til Sunday morning and will be back home in the evening Sunday.
I miss everyone and hope to hear things are going well.
Terri for the Casebier's
Forever Family Day 10/09/2007
Isabelle greeted Stacey (my cousin) and I warmly on Sunday afternoon. Our flights (except a couple hiccups) and our road trip to the orphanage went well. Everything (at that point) that I warned Stacey about went just the opposite of my warning (like the Moscow customs line that's usually VERY hard to get through and long, had no line at all basically, though they were still slow and I was the 2nd to last to get through...........:):):) ).
The road trip back from the orphanage was a bear though. It took us at least an extra hour to get back to the city and hotel. That night we tried to feed her, but she wouldn't eat. We couldn't figure out the formula/baby food combinations, but tried. I figured she was just tired and put her to bed. A few hours later she was up again and still wouldn't eat. I got concerned and tried to call our translator, but her phone number wasn't available. The next morning she still would not eat, though she was VERY hungry and fussy by then. So, I tried to use a a spoon with the baby food (like we do in the States) and she was so hungry that she let me do that for a little bit. We finally figured out that it was possibly the nipple on the bottles that was bothering her. She wouldn't even let me put the bottle in her mouth, though she would look at it longingly.
We headed to the store and got some more bottles and a couple other small items and went back to try it out. She was still apprehensive, but "aunt" Stacey held her arms and made her try it. She wasn't fussy very long at that point. I think she'd just got to the point where she didn't trust the nipples and that's why she wouldn't try out the new ones. The American bottles are not what she's used to, and the Russian ones don't touch her cleft palate the same way. Up to this point we hadn't seen any bm, but thanks to Whitney (Stacey's sister in Colorado) we knew we were ok with just the formula for now (she won't eat the babyfood unless we mix it somehow with the formula).
Last night she woke up again late (but I was up anyway) and she went back to sleep laying on top of me, then beside me..........................from which point I eventually was able to move her into the playpen. She seems to be bonding very well to me AND to Stacey. I think the real test will be when we see her around others (esp. women) and if she'll cling to me rather than just going off with anyone.
Today (Tuesday) she is an absolute pistol. I was concerned yesterday because she was being so quiet in her crib. I was concerned that she'd learned not to cry because it did her no good. Well, she's quite over that!!!! She's not only crying, but babbling up a storm. It's hard to get her to nap on the orphanages schedule.................but she's finally down for a little right now.
We head back to Moscow in a couple hours. All of our paperwork here is done (as of today). Tomorrow I get to hear her full lung capacity at the dr. office..........yuck! Then Thursday we are at the US Consulate and Friday at the Russian Embassy..............wow, I sure am going to be well versed at these government things now. We're in Moscow til Sunday morning and will be back home in the evening Sunday.
I miss everyone and hope to hear things are going well.
Terri for the Casebier's
Forever Family Day 10/09/2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Traveling TODAY!!!!
I am so excited about traveling with Stacey today..........I can't wait to meet up with her in Chicago.
I fly to Chicago alone..........then meet up with Stacey (traveling from Denver). We then head to Paris, then Moscow, and finally travel to Samara on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon I get to keep Isabelle forever!!! I will finally start to feel like a mom and be just as overwhelmed with all the responsibility as I can possibly be.........I can't hand her back to someone else a few hours later like I could with daycare............she's actually going to be MY responsibility FOREVER!!!! (or at least until she's an adult........lol).
Tuesday we'll head back to the courthouse (or maybe just our translator will) to finalize the 10 day wait thing and then fly out in the evening for Moscow again...........
On Wednesday we'll head to the dr. office to update her shots and get all of her medicals................Thursday we're off to the US Embassy to work on passports and immigration things.............Friday we're off to the Russian consulate to register our little one before traveling back home on Sunday........
Yes, I said Sunday, not Saturday. I thought we'd have to stay overnight Saturday when I 1st made plane tickets............so Stacey & I will have more sightseeing to do in the mean time. I know I want to see some of their famous churches............and possibly do a Kremlin tour...............plus there are other famous things there that I may not even think about that Stacey knows of.
Gary & I went to a famous art museum when we were there last time, and I like art.......so I hoped I'd like this one with 62 rooms.............it was ok, but most of it was portraits................I liked the tile mosaics and some armour in the last few rooms................we walked so much this last time, that when I saw the chiropractor last night (started seeing him after being in such pain from the 1st trip) he was in awe at how much more loose my leg joints were this time................I wonder how it'll be after this trip and carrying Isabelle while walking..........:):):) (Pray for my back though)
So much to do and so little time to do it in. Packing went well into the night.......and yet I'm at my weight limits pretty much..............so I don't know how that will work out in the end................
Gotta run..........too excited to stay on the computer...............but I'm gonna post some pics from the last trip 1st..........this trip was a lot cooler than the last, but it was still really warm............some pictures show me REALLY sweaty, but I don't remember sweating nearly like that. Also, as soon as we stepped off the plane in Samara, they took us to the orphanage to see her............so this is also travel sweat I guess...........:):):) Please understand and don't be disgusted.........
Terri for the Casebier's
I fly to Chicago alone..........then meet up with Stacey (traveling from Denver). We then head to Paris, then Moscow, and finally travel to Samara on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon I get to keep Isabelle forever!!! I will finally start to feel like a mom and be just as overwhelmed with all the responsibility as I can possibly be.........I can't hand her back to someone else a few hours later like I could with daycare............she's actually going to be MY responsibility FOREVER!!!! (or at least until she's an adult........lol).
Tuesday we'll head back to the courthouse (or maybe just our translator will) to finalize the 10 day wait thing and then fly out in the evening for Moscow again...........
On Wednesday we'll head to the dr. office to update her shots and get all of her medicals................Thursday we're off to the US Embassy to work on passports and immigration things.............Friday we're off to the Russian consulate to register our little one before traveling back home on Sunday........
Yes, I said Sunday, not Saturday. I thought we'd have to stay overnight Saturday when I 1st made plane tickets............so Stacey & I will have more sightseeing to do in the mean time. I know I want to see some of their famous churches............and possibly do a Kremlin tour...............plus there are other famous things there that I may not even think about that Stacey knows of.
Gary & I went to a famous art museum when we were there last time, and I like art.......so I hoped I'd like this one with 62 rooms.............it was ok, but most of it was portraits................I liked the tile mosaics and some armour in the last few rooms................we walked so much this last time, that when I saw the chiropractor last night (started seeing him after being in such pain from the 1st trip) he was in awe at how much more loose my leg joints were this time................I wonder how it'll be after this trip and carrying Isabelle while walking..........:):):) (Pray for my back though)
So much to do and so little time to do it in. Packing went well into the night.......and yet I'm at my weight limits pretty much..............so I don't know how that will work out in the end................
Gotta run..........too excited to stay on the computer...............but I'm gonna post some pics from the last trip 1st..........this trip was a lot cooler than the last, but it was still really warm............some pictures show me REALLY sweaty, but I don't remember sweating nearly like that. Also, as soon as we stepped off the plane in Samara, they took us to the orphanage to see her............so this is also travel sweat I guess...........:):):) Please understand and don't be disgusted.........
Terri for the Casebier's
Joy and Sorrow
Hi everyone..........this has been a truly crazy week for me after returning from Moscow at about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday and then to leave again for Russia today.
Soon after I arrived home, I got news that a co-worker (teacher & friend) died on Sunday from Breast cancer. Monday was my first trauma response team intervention. I think that staff probably took it harder than most of the children. Many of them weren't too upset, but would ask questions about it throughout the week to try and deal with what was going on.
Tuesday evening I came home to a prayer chain email that let me know our music minister lost his wife suddenly. They still don't know why, but that she's definitely in a better place. She left behind a 12-13 yr old son, a 24-26 yr old daughter/son-in-law, a 1 yr old grandson, and a very sad (yet hopeful) husband.
Grief is heavy for all around here.........funerals are today.
However, I won't be able to attend because I am leaving today to pick up Isabelle on Sunday. My heart is torn between grief and excitement...........I must press on and bring our little one to her new families here...........she can help overcome some of the sadness I hope for these other families..........
Terri
Soon after I arrived home, I got news that a co-worker (teacher & friend) died on Sunday from Breast cancer. Monday was my first trauma response team intervention. I think that staff probably took it harder than most of the children. Many of them weren't too upset, but would ask questions about it throughout the week to try and deal with what was going on.
Tuesday evening I came home to a prayer chain email that let me know our music minister lost his wife suddenly. They still don't know why, but that she's definitely in a better place. She left behind a 12-13 yr old son, a 24-26 yr old daughter/son-in-law, a 1 yr old grandson, and a very sad (yet hopeful) husband.
Grief is heavy for all around here.........funerals are today.
However, I won't be able to attend because I am leaving today to pick up Isabelle on Sunday. My heart is torn between grief and excitement...........I must press on and bring our little one to her new families here...........she can help overcome some of the sadness I hope for these other families..........
Terri
Sunday, September 30, 2007
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!!!!
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!!!!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
