She's OURS! She's finally with us.

It has taken a while for me to update because the last few days have been CRAZY!!  In a hardest and best days of my life kind of way.  I'll start at the beginning:

Tuesday morning Barry and I woke around 5:30am and packed up all that we could before heading out the door at 7:30.  We went to Gus, and upon arriving at the baby home were told that I needed to run out with V and the social worker to apply for something to do with Sveta's bank account (who knows).  Barry was to stay and play with Sveta.  Now, I'm sure that Barry was looking forward to this, but I was worried that he'd run out of energy because he's not been feeling well.  We started him on an antibiotic because he just wasn't feeling right.

So, off I went.  I sat in an office, showed my passport, and signed my name.  Something about going to the Consulate when we return home...not really sure, but another family has to do it too, so I'll ask them.  Barry and Sveta were having lots of fun wearing each others' hats and taking pictures when I returned.  We changed Sveta's clothes and played for a while while the social worker got some kind of papers ready for us.  She was able to give us more pictures than I expected, but less papers!

Sveta went upstairs to say goodbye to her friends, and she was smiley as she waved to them. We got her bundled up (the social worker took care of making sure her scarf and hat were on properly) and were out the door.  Barry and I just kept staring at her in between us and looking at each other and smiling.  Surreal.  Sveta didn't make a huge scene as we left, but as we drove huge crocodile tears fell down her cheeks.  They about killed us.

We drove to Vladimir and waited outside a building for Vita.  Sveta did SO well waiting!  Then it was to the hotel (because the passport was still with the head man).  At lunch in the cafe we laughed and laughed.  Sveta ordered herself tea, and biscuits with jam. I realized that she was asking the waitress for tea, and let her...but the women came back with more than that.  Sveta ate the jam with a spoon.  Barry and I both convinced her to share the jam and we ate the biscuits, because she didn't like them.

After lunch, Barry was on Sveta duty again because I had to be the one to get the passport since I applied for it.  So, V and I went with a gift.  She went in to the head man's office and convinced him to let us have the passport.  (It was ready, just needed his signature).  She got an ok, and as I was signing papers the man's secretary asked how V convinced him!  The lady said she was shocked he did it for us.  I told Vita that I had been sitting just praying for her and the man, and for Barry and Sveta...and as we walked away she was saying "thank you" and crossing herself.  God did this.  It's for His glory.  He did it.