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Home sweet home! I arrived home around midnight on Saturday. Richard met me at the airport and, after a LONG day of traveling, what a welcome surprise to walk into a beautifully clean house full of peacefully sleeping children! My husband is such a gift! My last visit with Alayna was a good one. We looked through pictures and went over names and faces again, drew more pictures and talked about when I would return to bring her home. During our Thursday afternoon visit Alayna asked if I would visit her on Saturday. I explained to her that I had to return home on Saturday, but that I would come back for her soon. She told me that she would cry when I left. It broke my heart! Toni explained to her that we would have to complete a few more documents before I could return to bring her home, but that we would work fast so that she could come home soon. To help quantify the time, Toni told her that, once she had finished first grade, I would return for her. I left her on Friday with lots of ...

Love reckons hours for months, and days for years; and every little absence is an age. ~John Dryden The Kids and I (mainly I) spent the day cleaning up the house. It's 7:15, the kids are fed, in bed, the dishes are done, the laundry is folded, the floors cleaned and just for good measure the cars are washed. Val should be touching down in Dayton four hours from now and we're very excited to have her home. The kids missed their mother and I missed my wife.

***Written By Richard*** Well, the trip is almost over and right now Val is spending her last sleep-filled hours in Sofia. Everyone's heard a lot about what's been going on over in Bulgaria but while Val's been on her advendute, I've been enjoying the other and of the adventure back here at home. Over the two weeks since Val left we've been staying busy. We've had bedtimes, quiet times, and mealtimes. We've had one week of work, and one week in training. We've had a few illnesses and we even spent the evening in the ER collecting a few stitches. Our good friend Keely has been invaluable in watching the kids during the day while I've been at work and in training. I'd also like to thank the friends and parents who took time out of their busy schedules to check in with Val and I. A thank you also goes to our friends who provided meals on several occasions, such a small act meant so much to me. So as I get ready to head to bed tonight, here ar...

This morning we explained to Alayna that I will be her mommy. She was thrilled and we all breathed a sigh of relief! She immediately started calling me mama and, this morning, while we were watching a Sesame Street DVD, she gave me two HUGE hugs! Again, I melted! The biggest indicator of her acceptance of having a mama and joining our family came when we returned for the afternoon visit. She had drawn me another picture. In this picture there were two houses, connected by a road. One was hers (and Baba Marta's!) and one mine. She had also colored and completed a maze where a little girl was walking through a field of flowers to her house where her mama was waiting. I asked Alayna if the little girl was her and she was coming home to mama. She said yes :-) Alayna's picture Finding her way home to Mama! Although she has always been relatively comfortable with Toni and I, today she really came out of her shell. She sat on my lap, gave me hugs and always sat right next to me whene...

People often ask us why we adopt or why we have chosen to have the number of children we do at such a young age (26 and 30 for those who are curious). Simply put, who wouldn't want to be inspired and amazed every day of their lives (and, of course, we are NUTS. . .but we LOVE it)!? Because honestly, every one of my children inspire and amaze me each and every day. What a privilege and a blessing it is to be given the honor to know and associate daily with such incredible people. To see the world through the eyes of a child. . .amazing! To love as purely, completely and unconditionally as a child. . .amazing! To truly see people and not race, religion or (dis)ability. . .amazing! The scriptures teach us to "be like unto little children" and so, selfishly perhaps, I have chosen to surround myself with the experts! What greater teachers of compassion, faith, hope, charity and Christ-like love could there be!? Why do I bring this up? Because everyday I have spent getting to k...

First and foremost, please allow me to introduce: ALAYNA JEAN RIEBEN Isn't she adorable!? Like Lily, she is tiny, but she is so full of life and personality! We arrived in Lukovit this afternoon and went straight to the orphanage. The orphanage itself is a very old facility, but as soon as I got out of the van I could hear children laughing and that sound never ceased the entire time we were there. They may not have much at this orphanage, but the children are happy and they are loved. We met with the director and two of the orphanage social workers first. They told us a little about Alayna and asked about our family. They shared their information and observations about Alayna and told us that they had prepared her for our visit by letting her know that she would have special guests today (they didn't want to jump right into adoption and mama quite yet, which is probably good)! Today is Baba Marta, a Bulgarian holiday/tradition to welcome in Spring. A celebration was planned a...