Ever since I was in middle school and visited a children’s home with our church group, I have had it in my heart to
adopt. When Scott and I talked about marriage and our future, I shared with him my desire to adopt. He agreed, but
really wanted to try to have biological children first. When we got married we had a grand plan: we would be married
for two years and have one child; when that child was two we would have a second. God had other plans for our lives.
After two years of marriage, plan #1 was not working. After three years of marriage, we were still childless. We tried minimal treatment with a fertility specialist (unsuccessfully) so the next year we started the adoption process.
We had decided on Russia because we wanted two children at once -- hopefully siblings. We originally signed with an agency that promised an infant boy and toddler girl. A year later, the agency was still waiting to be reaccredited. More months went by until we moved to EAC.
Things then moved quickly--We signed with EAC in March, and in April we received the referral of TWIN girls! We had said we wanted two of either sex--imagine our surprise to get identical twin sisters!
»We were both excited and a tad nervous, but as soon as we made it through customs, there was a smiling face with an EAC sign. From then on, we never had to worry.
Two weeks later we flew to Russia for our first trip. We were both excited and a tad nervous, but as soon as we made it through customs, there was a smiling face with an EAC sign. From then on, we never had to worry.
We got to visit the girls for two days of the week long trip. Leaving them at the orphanage was one of the most heart wrenching things we have ever done. It was three months before we could return--a very long three months, but it gave us lots of time to prepare for the girls arrival.
The second trip went just as smoothly as the first. We visited the girls one day, went to court the next, and picked them up three days later. When we went to pick them up, they were outside playing. Liza came running to me with her arms outstretched and didn’t let me go. She hadn’t been around many men and was a bit afraid of Scott. Anya went to Scott without a problem.
We had the girls with us for a week in Moscow before flying home. Within a couple of days, Liza warmed up to Scott. We spent a lot of time in the EAC family room at the hotel. We appreciated a nice place for our two-year-olds to play while we visited with other parents.
The girls have been home for three months and are doing great. They are very affectionate and give lots of hugs and kisses. When we got them they understood Russian very well but spoke little. Now they have many English words and understand everything we say (We didn’t know we would have to be so careful about everything we say this early!). Liza is no longer afraid of men and Anya has decided to be a Mama’s girl. We have been truly blessed this year!
by Scott and Amanda
Editor’s Note: Due to major renovations and cost, EAC no long has a family room in Moscow. We still retain our offices.
Presented by European Adoption Consultants, Inc.