Journal #211

A big shout of CONGRATS to ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN, MA for receiving their accreditation status. Also to all of the families who have endured the wait.

So many of us are thankful for all of your hard work in helping to bring so many children home in 2007 during such a difficult time in Russia.

We wish for many more to follow in 2008!!!

Lauren, Marco & Cupcake

Journal # 210

HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!!

One of my most special girlfriends got the best news of her life the day before Thanksgiving...HER COURT DATE. Most of you know Lisa and no what a long & difficult journey she has continued. Everyone should know Lisa is the perfect example of how to handle issues, problems and devastation during such a trying process. With all of your grace, stamina, and strength I hope so many learn from you. You are so focused, determined, and dedicated. I know you will be such a wonderful & loving mother to your girls.

As I told you last night I am so elated you do not have to go through another weekend waiting for Monday. Monday is waiting for you!

I will do more on Thanksgiving on Cupcake's blog but today I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone in waiting a speedy process.

BIG HUGS LISA! We can't wait to meet the girls!!!

Journal # 209

This time last year seems so long ago but I vividly remember all of my friends in bloggerland being my rock. Sounds strange for not having met some of you (even though I have met many!) but I contribute being so prepared on what to bring, where to go to shop, and what toys to bring to my blogger friends. More importantly, we were more prepared than most to know we may meet a child who may not be the "right" child for our family. If you aren't prepared for this one...BE PREPARED. Again I thank you for all of your support, friendships, and guidance as we approach our first Thanksgiving as a family.

NOW I WANT TO SHARE A SPECIAL STORY...About 4 weeks ago I met a family via telephone who was referred to me by our agency. They just returned from Moscow where they met their beautiful 9 month old daughter. As we continued to share our stories I realized they daughter is from the same Baby Home as Cupcake. In some districts this may not be such a big deal but in Moscow District there are 59 Baby Homes. Of course an instant connection developed. I found myself writing them a mushy letter in a Card.

I sent this card to this family Friday with a special enclosure (I don't want to call it a gift). We decided we wanted them to bring home Baby A in Cupcake's snowsuit. They received it yesterday. As I listened to my voicemail on my way to my last appointment...I was in tears. BOY did they get even with me for the card I sent to them!!!

J & J-

The best thing you could have said to me is that you already hugged it a million times. Officially it has now been hugged 2 million times!

Thank you for feeling it is as special to the both of you and it is to us.

On Christmas Day we will know that across the ocean in a far away land Baby A is snuggled with her parents.

What a gift it is for us to know your bundle of joy will be departing the Baby home in the same snowsuit!

We wish you the best trip of your life!!!

Journal #208


EDIT: a few have requested information on Mary, who we used for our birth family search. Here is here site/email: http://russianfamilysearch.com/


Yesterday was 8 months home from our final segment in Moscow and next month will mark one year since we met. I think being so close to all of the holidays is just magnifies the glory of being home. Since everyone has followed us lets talk about a few others:

Happy Belated Birthday to Baby Nic who we went to NY to his Birthday Bash 2 weeks ago!
Happy Birthday TIGER! You were the just a treat to see yesterday!

SLINKKKKK...I just found out about your court date on FRUA??? You have some explaining to do! Congrats, I can't wait to meet Munchkin!

Chris & Wife (not sure if name is on the net)- Best wishes to the both of you bringing home your twin girls after a long awaited court date!

A QUICK NOTE ON BIRTH FAMILY SEARCHES & OUR SUCCESSFUL SEARCH:

Both grandmothers sent pictures of themselves and say they will write a letter to Cupcake. I have found the discovery of our daughter's family to be extremely emotional. Very different than I expected. Far deeper than I imagined.

It is so easy to think the mothe could be a prostitute or drunk. A careless individual who cares very little about a human life. Unfortunately this is just not the case. Court documents may translate an ugly picture. However many of us who do searches find something very different than the picture painted in legal documents.

As much as the grandmothers thank me with such appreciation for finding them TO LET THEM KNOW SHE IS LOVED AND SAFE, I can never express to them the gratitude I have for giving to her "The Beginning of her Journey of Becoming our Daughter." What a beautiful & loving story it turned out to be.

With tears AGAIN....I will continue the update later.

(all other pics will be posted on Life Of Cupcake)

Journal #207

It has been too long but being home with our child has taken me in so many different directions but I owe some "THANK YOU'S" to a few people so I want to share them.

FIRST- Thank you Mary K. Your assistance with the Birth family search was more emotional than I expected but more important than I even realized. I look forward to your post on my blog! Coming soon... (read the previous post about Birth Family search)

If you remember early summer many of us posted the warning about hand sanitizers. I received an email and a sample of a great new product that is a safe version of a hand sanitizer. We received the sample when I was in school in August so I didn't get to test the product immediately so I didn't post but since we used it for a week and really liked it so THANK YOU LAUREN!

Lauren and Marco,

I work for a public relations agency and represent a product called Germ-X (http://www.germx.com). After reading your May 24 post about hand sanitizers, thought I might pass along some news from Germ-X.

As you reported on, hand sanitizers have been a hot topic this year among parents. Reports of children becoming ill from ingesting alcohol-based hand sanitizers emphasize the importance of parental supervision when it comes to children and common household products. Like you mentioned, when used as directed, hand sanitizers are safe and offer vital health benefits.

The germ-busting stuff really is top-of-mind right now … school supply lists from around the country are asking parents to send kids back to school this fall with a bottle of hand sanitizer. And there’s good reason: Studies have shown a decrease in the average sick time of students who use hand sanitizers as a part of their hand hygiene regimen (see: American Journal of Infection Control).

To effectively kill 99.99 percent of germs, hand sanitizers like Germ-X and Purell contain 62% ethyl alcohol. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control study shows that in lower percentages of alcohol, hand sanitizers are less effective. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0955.htm)

Next month, Germ-X is introducing an alternative to traditional alcohol-based products. Germ-X® Advanced Protection is a new formula that uses active ingredient benzalkonium chloride (the same stuff found in eyewashes and surface cleaners) to kill 99.99 percent of common germs.

Germ-X Advanced Protection may be of interest to those looking for a substitute to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The foaming hand sanitizer has a light, clean feel and a fresh smell … and, with vitamin E and other moisturizers, it keeps hands soft....

Thanks for your time.

Lauren B
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. – for Germ-X