Our First few days......

Well, we have been home since late Friday afternoon. We were greeted by our family and amazing friends at the airport....we know that many could not make it due to work and sick children but we appreciate your heartfelt emails and wishes. We were very excited to see Nate and Kate and get back to being a family. We are finally getting back on schedule and into a somewhat normal family routine....Maiah was very excited to get back to school and Seth was very disappointed that he could not go....we expected this!!

Seth is doing very well...he is a sweet boy in need of much love and affection. His smile makes you melt inside. He is learning English but does not like it much....he fights us every step of the way. He does love school work as he is used to a strict school routine. He has mastered writing his name, alphabet and he knows all his numbers, we are working on what they are in English. He can say and recognize 1-8 already. We have tried every movie and finally found one that he will not make us turn off, it just so happens to be an annoying purple dinosaur!! Derek's favorite:) Seth has had his face iced everyday as he walks into everything...not sure if he does not see it or is just so excited...he has 2 bruises on his face right now and just tried walking through our clear glass storm door as he was heading out of the house. Everything is new and he has to touch everything...this included every new person and thing on all 3 planes it took us to get home. We never apologized so much in our life. This new, big, amazing world has just opened up to him and he is taking full advantage:) In some cases, it has not been safe!! It is just like having a 2 year old that needs to be watched 24/7!! Seth has some behaviors that require much attention and we are working through these. He has made his way to the Time Out Bench a few times now but we sit with him explaining with hands signals and the few words we know that he understands. He seems to internalize his frustrations with the language and when things dont quite go his way.

Please dont stop praying for Seth and for us.....we are being tried and tested in every way. As you can imagine, when you are obedient to God and you are helping his kingdom...we know that Seth will know the Lord one day.....you become vulnerable to attacks spiritually, mentally and physically. We have some of all going on. Seth is smart like an eight year old in the body of a 4 year old that understands the world like a 2 year old. We need much prayer covering his transition and our family. We trust that God called us to bring this sweet boy into our family and that He will get us through this time/season of transition.

We appreciate your continued love and prayers,
Petrins

Home Sweet Home

We are home safe and sound...thanks to all who greeted us at the airport and for all the emails, prayers and well wishes while we were gone.....will post when I am in my right mind.....it was a long exhausting trip but it well overall. Lets just say Seth is very busy and excited about his new world....and he is all boy!!!! He has to be watched every second.

Much love,
Petrin 6

They are on there way to Virginia

Hi everyone. The Petrin's are on there last flight and will land in Virginia at 3:12p.m.. I am off to the airport. :) I am not excited or anything! LOL

Love,
Mad

They are in Atlanta

As of 10:30 a.m. they are in Atlanta. Just wanted to let everyone know they are back in this country! Praise God!

Mad

Arrival Info

We are arriving in Norfolk Va on Friday, 24April at 3:18pm. It is a Delta
flight from Atlanta GA. We will try to post from Atlanta letting everyone know
that we are on time, or actually that we have made our flight. We dont have a lot of time to get through immigration/customs.

See you in Norfolk with our newest Petrin and American citizen!!

Love,
Petrins

Reality sets in for all....

Reality has set in for all and communication has been an issue today.....Seth takes "no" very personal and thinks we are just being mean....we cant tell him in Mongolian that he can't bounce the ball in the hotel room as the people down stairs might get mad.....he just thinks Derek is a big bully when he takes the ball away.....We also had to leave a restaurant at lunch because he was insisting on having his knife so he can run it across the top of his hand.....he has never really used utensils from what we can tell. Bread and broth and they just drink the broth out of the bowl. Again, we cant explain that we don't want him to hurt himself and that children don't use knives. He screamed and would not stop, so we left as it was a packed lunch time crowd. Need i say more, you know how to pray now!! We try really hard with Mongolian phrases and key words/flashcards/pictures books...We have had several breakdowns today for this very reason.....they told us that he is understanding more than he lets on and uses that to his advantage. When our social worker came this afternoon, she talked to him about these issues in Mongolian and also asked him if he wanted to go back to his friends and the nannies at the orphanage....He said "NO" very clear and very loud. He does understand!! We did not know that she was asking him this but I guess it is good to know where we stand:)

Sad thing is, we are going to his orphanage tomorrow....for his going away party, we hope this goes well!! Nothing worse than bringing them back after you have taken them....he may be thrilled and he may think we are taking him back after today which could make for quite the visit,we are praying for the best scenario....Also, had our Visa Embassy appt and they are telling us that we will have his visa by 3pm tomorrow....we leave for the airport at 1000pm, nothing like last minute to make the old heart race!!

We can't wait to get home...to our kids, family, friends, beds, food etc....

Many thanks to our faithful friends, dont stop praying yet!! We have a long journey ahead of us. 29 hours of travel with 2 children and 1 that does not understand us....

Stacy & Derek

Nate, Dad wanted me to tell you that Seth takes after you...he walked 2 blocks and was needing an ambulance:) LOL!!! Give Kate a hug from me..miss you guys like crazy.

We have a Passport....the MM came through....LOL!!!

  At 8 tonight..(the passport office closes at 5), we received word that Seth has a passport...so much for waiting until tomorrow.....  This will allow us to have our visa appt tomorrow at the  American Embassy. Smooth sailing from there.......

looks like we will be seeing you this weekend

Petrins

Contract signed and a photo shoot!!

Well, we signed our contract today which is the last of the documents to be signed for the Mongolian government side of the adoption!! I dont think they will be calling us back down there any time soon as Derek kept Maiah and Seth entertained by playing rock, paper, scissors and I dont think the office will ever be the same again.

We bought lots of souvenirs today and some traditional dress for Maiah and Seth...then we went to a Mongolian costume shop where they did a professional photo shoot with the kids in traditional Mongolian attire. One lady was in love with Maiah, said she is a true beautiful Mongolian girl......she was pleased that she had some meat on her bones was the translation!! She kept pinching her arms and rubbing her belly and smiling. Maiah just went along with it and was quite excited to be playing dress up. Maiah had to see herself in the mirror each time they changed her outfit. We posted some new pics of the photo shoot in the "Seths adoption album". The professional picture came out beautiful,we are so glad we did this....highly recommend it for future families adopting from here!! We are quite tired tonight after another busy day...Maiah is about to pass out but our little Seth is still quite excited to be free from his strict routine and has not stopped for a minute.

Please pray for a passport for Seth...we cannot get a visa without a passport and I just got back from writing a written request as to why we need the passport so quickly. I think the Mongolian Mafia has run into a problem....please keep FRIDAY in your prayers as a departure date for the Petrins....all of us!!!!

Links to Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVbPN8BHRNY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT2aKJcgbmg

God and Persistence pay off.......

My mothers heart is at peace tonight.....Seth is right where he belongs, with his Mommy, Daddy and sister. After much frustration, and not taking no for an answer, we received our approval in writing which was enough for us to bring him home with us tonight. We also went for our physical which went well and we also have a new birth certificate naming us as his parents and his adoption decree. Tomorrow we should have his passport (the Mongolian mafia is helping to expedite this process:)) and our Embassy appt either tomorrow or Wednesday. We still have a contract to sign with the Mongolian government, pray for this to happen tomorrow as well. It would be nice to have everything done by Wednesday, so we can do some last minute sight seeing and shopping with Seth!! We will post some pictures shortly.....

As for Seth, he literally took our hand and walked away with us....some of the nanny's were crying but he was laughing and smiling and could not wait to get out the door...we kept having to pull him back as the director was talking to us. We stopped for a quick dinner and now back at the hotel, he is singing and coloring....nothing but smiles:) We are actually getting ready for our first bath and he cannot wait to put on the Superman Pj"s....thanks Jonas for passing them down...

Thanks so much for your prayers, we have evidence in our arms tonight!
Derek, Stacy, Maiah and Seth (Nate & Kate, we will be home soon!!)

Praying it happens!!

Ok, so this morning coming out of breakfast, we happen to run into our social worker who was waiting in the lobby for the other family that is here with us. They were leaving to go sign documents.....she proceeds to tell me to sit down.....and tells us that we may sign tomorrow or Wednesday.....I lost my mind, 2 weeks of frustration was overflowing at this point. I told her no and that were going to make some phone calls that it was unacceptable. We have been told "tomorrow" for 2 weeks now and tomorrow never comes. They left and we came upstairs and emailed the US Embassy and had a response within minutes. They are not happy at the way we have been treated and now realize that Derek is in the military and has 21 days of leave to process this adoption. They emailed us back and told us that we will have our appt at 2:00 this afternoon. I will believe it when we are walking out of there with the signed paperwork. Please pray this appt happens and that we bring Seth back with us to the hotel tonight, no more delays!!

Much thanks,
Stacy

Snow Covered Mountains!!

This Sunday morning brought snow covered mountains....this is the view out our hotel window. We had a great day that included making our way to Seth's orphanage by taxi and then going to our friends apt on the other side of the city by taxi.....it is amazing what a couple of weeks does to your language/communication ability:) We are making our way around quite well and also have the hotel staff speaking English now with the biggest smiles. Tonight they told us how beautiful our family is (they have only seen half of it)and that they will miss us. Maiah has been treated like quite the princess and I am sure they will love on Seth this coming week!! We have been treated very well here.

We were very blessed today by this missionary family, we had been in communication with them on Facebook and finally met them today. They opened their home to us, made an amazing Mexican lunch topped off with Russian ice cream for dessert(the stuff is amazing) and then they took us to an international service which was very multi-cultural. Worship was awesome and 24 ethnic groups were represented. We felt right at home:)

We brought Seth back tonight, hopefully for the very last time. We are hoping to sign paperwork in the morning, and get his physical done all before noon. Please pray with us that tomorrow is the day!!

Goodnight,
Stacy

A few firsts.....

Well, we had Seth all day today...picked him up about noon and had him until 730 tonight. We experienced many firsts.....he rode a scooter, played soccer, Operation(the game), ate Grilled Cheese sandwiches & Pizza and is now repeating many English words. We look forward to taking him and not having to bring him back though. I feel like I have said that a thousand times now. We know that day is coming soon.......and it will be forever!! We posted some pictures from the day, we spent most of the day with Carol and Ben....thanks for your Mongolian/American hospitality!!

Love,
Stacy

still no approval:(

Well friends, we were told lots of things today but the reality is we still have
no official approval. We are guessing the committee met today and gave verbal approval which is useless but we are supposedly going to sign our paper work/approval on Monday which then will get the ball rolling.....however, we have been told tomorrow for the last 8 days. After that we still need a new birth certificate, adoption decree, passport and visa of which would normally take a week to 10 days. We are scheduled to fly home on the 24th so we are hoping for a quick turn around with each of these steps if indeed we do sign on Monday. It is difficult to know what to believe as we have been told so many different things. The most frustrating part is having to bring Seth back to the orphanage every night this weekend. We had him this evening from 5-8, yes they gave us an extra hour because he did not have to be back to do homework tonight (its Friday night). Yes, they shaved his head, we are beginning to think it is this control thing and until he is officially ours, he will stay in his routine and they will do what they please to him. We will thankfully have him all day tomorrow and Sunday but he has to go back to sleep each night which just breaks our heart....he is now seeming a bit disappointed to leave us. He went with us this evening to visit some friends that we know here and he seemed to fit in quite well and had fun with the kids....he was quite obsessed with figuring out the little boys bicycle in the house:) It was very cute, he kept pedaling backwards making it into a stationary bicycle but he was going 50mph:)

Thanks for your prayers and encouraging emails. We appreciate them very much.

Stacy & Derek

Reality/prayer please......

Well, i thought maybe we would just skip posting today...you know that old saying if you dont have anything nice/good to say then dont say it at all:( Then I realized that truth is reality and hiding the truth helps nobody!! Derek has not been feeling so well and today he is feeling worse. He is feeling so bad that he stayed in our room the whole day except for dinner tonight. I did get out and do some shopping for a few essentials for Seth today as he is much smaller than we anticipated and his Spiderman underoos fall right off if you know what I mean:)
Well, Maiah and I decided to be brave and go visit Seth without Owa....you know Derek has been the big hit thus far!! This was the first time that we visited after the day teachers/caretakers have left for the day. We have just loved the day staff and vice versa. To our surprise, it has actually been a very pleasant experience for a government run orphanage. Well tonight, we showed up to the kids finishing up homework and snack time.....then the nannies just left Maiah and I with all 17 children playing and taking pictures in a big playroom...at one point I put my hand on Seths leg and he put his hand on top of mine and he began to gently rub it....it was a very tender moment that melted my heart. However, out of the blue a nanny came in yelling in Mongolian and from what I could tell, she wanted them to clean up the Legos that were everywhere and children began to scurry....and then a few moments later I was standing in the doorway between the play room and the bedroom and watched this same nanny open handed smack one of the little boys and then took the toy from his hand and proceeded to hit him with the toy a couple of times....my eyes filled with tears, my heart was racing and all I could think about was this poor little boy and having to leave my son there another night.....I know that I cannot bring them all home but please pray for these children, for protection over their hearts, minds and physical bodies, for a softening of this caretakers heart and hand!!! From what I gathered, he had brought the toy into the bedroom area and toys are not supposed to leave the playroom!! I loved on this little boy and several other children including Seth before we left....it was a very long walk down the stairs and out of the building without my son. I can't recall a moment that my heart felt like this.....please pray for our approval to come tomorrow. They have told us tomorrow every day this week and now today they are saying by the end of the week....which is tomorrow. We so appreciate you guys standing with us on this journey. As soon as we sign the final papers, you will know as you will hear us celebrating with the other family from there.

My own encouragement for the day:
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to Seth.
~ 1 Peter 5:7, NLT

Prophecy Bulletin for April 16th....

Beloved, I see and know the things that have brought about a period of stress and uncertainty. And, I tell you that the light will dawn, and you will have greater revelation that will bring resolution to difficult situations. I will give you wisdom and direction that will release you from restrictions that have been difficult to cope with. Confining circumstances will give way to defining moments as you move with the wind of My Spirit. Changes will develop that will bring a sense of release and freedom, says the Lord.

John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

I am really going to bed now.....
Stacy

One Week One day and Waiting...

  Today brought some cooler weather and growing anxiety about when we get to bring Seth home.  We were allowed to bring him to the Hotel with us and show him the room he will sleep in, some of his clothes and toys.  Seth and Maiah put a big floor puzzle together.  Maiah did much better with Seth being around and they sat together and ate dinner tonight.  We will have no concerns with the food he will eat; that boy has DEVOURED everything we have put in front of him.

  As for his adjustment to us, it is truly seamless.  He lets me take him to the restroom and help him, he talks to me in Mongolian like we were old buds and I have any clue as to what he is saying.  I finally have started responding to him in English and about 50% of the time I get the intended response. When we had to go back to the orphanage, he went upstairs with me, grabbed his shoes and jacket and was ready to go.  The real test will be when we take him and he does not return to the orphanage.

  As for Stacy, myself and Maiah we did some shopping in the discount market that was kind of....ahhh....Black. We found some nice things cheap and cut it short because it was cold. Speaking of colds I think I have the Avian Bird Flu, or at least some foreign thing is trying to nest in my sinus cavity.  We hope and pray to get our approval tomorrow and bring our son home.

Signed DEREK (because Stacy refuses to be associated with any of my shenanigans)

Daddy's Boy!!

Seth just loves his Daddy!! He smiles at everything Derek does and is always running to grab Derek by the hand. It is very sweet:) We did have a bit of sadness and jealousy from Maiah during dinner tonight. She was not happy that Seth was sitting on her Daddy's lap and would not take a picture with them when asked......she did come around but made it a point to only want me and kind of gave Derek the cold shoulder for a bit. We had a conversation about it later and explained that we have enough love for Nathan, Kaytlin, Maiah and Seth and she agreed and has been fine tonight. She was sad again to bring him back to the orphanage which was a good sign. She was also asking when he was coming to our house(apt) to play tomorrow. I think time will help this and the whole thing is just a bit awkward right now. Just as Seth is a bit confused, I am sure that Maiah does not really understand why we keep picking him up and dropping him off....it is an emotional/confusing situation for Derek and I nevermind a 5 and 6 year old . We just keep taking it one day at a time.....no other options!!
Philippians 4: 6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Until tomorrow,
Stacy

More Patience.....

Well, it looks like the committee will not be meeting until Thursday. We will continue to visit with Seth everyday. Tonight we will take him out to dinner again and tomorrow, we will ask if he can come to the hotel with us for a couple of hours after school. Evidently more patience is required:)

Maiah was feeling better today and her eye was no longer crusty and red. Thanks for praying. Not sure what was going on there but Praise God it seems better!! She is napping now only because I promised her a small glass of coke when she wakes up.....something she does not get much of at home. We started having coke/candy flashbacks of when we first got Maiah!! LOL!! Last night she fell asleep in the car on the way to the orphanage...she is still a little messed up time wise but has been a real trooper.

Prayer requests:
Derek is congested/cold starting up/weary
Overall continued health
Seth's transition/goodbyes
Maiah is wanting to go home to her Kaytlin, Nathan and bed/she is over the hotel
The other family here with us/her Mom who is taking care of their 4 kids is now sick and having a hip issue. One of them may have to leave and go home. Pray for her Mom to feel well again and for the hip pain to go away so they can complete their adoption as scheduled.

With love and thanks,
Stacy

Pray for Approval on Paper!!!

It was a long day today and somewhat frustrating. What started out with an interview hours after we landed has led to the committee still not meeting to give us final approval on paper. We cannot process anything else without the final adoption decrees/approvals in writing. Maiah has not felt well today and tonight it is looking like she may have an eye infection. Please pray that she feels better after a good nights sleep. Derek an I are both pretty tired physically an emotionally.

We did visit with Seth today and this visiting situation is getting a bit frustrating. He is not really understanding why we are coming and going and why he is not coming with us. Today, when we said goodbye, he seemed confused that we were leaving without him. Of course, we have no control over this. The entire day was a bit awkward as we sat and watched him and his classmates do homework for almost 2 hours. They still have him in a strict school schedule and Mongolian language class even though we are here. We were asked to come at 2pm today so we could have a meeting with the orphanage director. This meeting went very well. She sets high standards and expects them to be met always. She seems to genuinely care about the children. We are not really able to visit with him until after 5 pm when school, homework,etc....is done. We did take Seth, Maiah and his classmates to the park a few blocks away to play for about 15 minutes but then it was right back to his routine. We just need the process to move to the next step,especially for Seth. We posted a few new pics in the Seth adoption album in pictures..........sorry I have not had time to label all of them.

Hoping to hear something tomorrow,
Petrins

First Outing!!

Well, we showed up to the orphanage around 1045 this morning to pick up Seth and he came with us without hesitation. However, he was very quiet on the long ride out to our destination. He did warm up a bit and seemed very excited to see the huge Chinggis Khaan Statue. It is a massive sight and pictures do not do it justice. We saw big smiles when the guard dressed in traditional costume offered him his sword for a picture....he is all boy!!! Fruit snacks and goldfish were big hits on the ride too!! He opened his fruit snacks and put every last one into his mouth all at once....I think he was afraid that Maiah was going to take one....he did not see that she had her own. Anyway, I started poking at his bulging cheek and we both began to laugh while our driver told him one at a time in Mongolian!! We just keep trying to put ourselves in his shoes and are sure the day we leave with him for good will be very difficult for him. He, unlike Maiah is internalizing everything where Maiah just let it all out. He has 2 very close friends that he as been with for over 5 years and I know that goodbye will be very hard for him. We took him to lunch and that went well, he is a great eater. I guess it helped that we went to a Mongolian restaurant.....however our Mongolian/American, Maiah ate nothing. Maiah was sad that he had to go back to the orphanage and keeps asking when he will come home with us. They did a little bonding today and held hands everywhere they went. When we said goodbye, we did gets hugs and kisses and he knows that we are coming back tomorrow. However, Derek and I agreed that he seemed glad to be back and went running off without hesitation after saying goodbye. We are kind of glad that we are easing into him being with us permanently....I think it will help with the overall transition. Thanks so much for all your prayers for Seth....keep them coming!!

Here are a few photos from the day.....
We miss you Nate & Kaytlin and can't wait for you to meet your new brother!!

Permission Granted!!

Yeah, we received a phone call that said pack up some warm clothes for Seth and we will pick him up and go to the countryside today. We are so excited to have our first outing with him. However, the weather today is the coldest it has been here and it will be even colder out in the country. Not ideal weather for outdoor activities but we pray that fun will be had by all. Hopefully we will get some cute pics of Maiah and Seth today. Will post later, thanks for praying!!

Stacy

Another great day in Mongolia!!

Although we did not get to see Seth today, we did manage to have a great day:) We were supposed to go out to the countryside today to ride horses and maybe a camel too but we chose to wait hoping that Seth would be able to come with us soon!! We really want him to see the things that he has never had a chance to see that make up who he is and the beautiful land he is from. Our Mongolian social worker/guide promised that we have plenty of time to do this once the official paperwork is signed.

We ended up doing much needed laundry at a friends apartment this morning, we are so thankful to her as it is actually quite expensive here at the hotel and with 3 of us and lots of dirt roads and walking, we have racked up 3 small loads in 5 days!! There are no dryers so our clothes are hanging and laying all over her apartment...that is a friend. We appreciate you Penny!!

We then went back to the Children's Place orphanage for lunch and the afternoon. A YWAM team from HI is here in Mongolia and yes Lori, they did study with Gabrielle for a week. They are here from the Honolulu base. It is a small world after all!! They gave some great testimonies and did a Easter skit. Maiah spent the entire afternoon playing with 2 friends that she reunited with on Thursday. She had a great time....we took her and the girls up to the playground to play and then for ice cream. This was enjoyed by all. Maiah speaks in English to them and they answer in Mongolian and go off on their way in complete agreement, they converse back and forth this way the whole time. It is truly amazing to listen and watch them interacting. I think Derek is getting worried that I am falling in love with these girls.....I told him it is too late. Its that mothers heart thing, I don't know how to turn it off:) I know all the Moms understand!!

We left in time for a late afternoon Mongolian Easter Service. The young children sang songs and did a skit, the college students did a skit as well. Afterwards, everyone shared a meal together. It was a great service and we felt very welcome by our Mongolian brothers and sisters. Several ladies that worked at Maiah's orphanage attended this service and so Maiah was just loved on some more today. She just says "Mommy, I know they love and hug me because they took care of me when I was a baby". She is so right as they really do love her!!

Well, we are back at our hotel anxiously waiting for tomorrow. We will at the very least visit with Seth again at the orphanage but are hopeful to take him out for a bit. Pray for favor with the orphanage director as it is really up to her. We will put some new pics from the day in the pictures section shortly...

Easter Blessings from Mongolia,
Petrins

First Visit, Smile, Hugs and Kisses

Well, to say our first visit went well would be and under statement. The fact that he did not run in the opposite direction (maiah) meant we were off to a good start. Seth has been very well cared for, very well educated, and very well prepared for what is happening. Yes, he is very tiny compared to Maiah but looks healthy. All of the 6 year old boys were the same size, so we are not worried. We had the most amazing visit. He showed us his room/bed, where he eats and plays. We looked at his photo album that will be given to us when he leaves. He was calling us Momma and Daddy(itchee & owa) in Mongolian and at one point came running up, saying Momma hold my book bag for me and handed it to me. They translated and the tears began!! He also told us his name was Seth and gave us hugs and kisses and wrote a note for us on the blackboard....He said Daddy, Mommy and Maiah, I am so happy that you came today.....there are pictures posted!! We blew bubbles for the first time and Seth now knows that they dont taste very good:) He wore the rest but the kids had the best time. He did ask where Nathan and Kaytlin were and we explained that they are in school but he will meet them soon!! Maiah tended to be pulled away by all the girls and Seth was more interested in us and the boys. He seems pretty excited to have a Mommy & Daddy! The staff told us that for the last few months, when kids are mean or pick on him, he would tell them that he was going to tell his Daddy when he got here.... We will have some time with both Seth and Maiah on Sunday...we may take a trip to the countryside but are waiting on approval to take him out. I think they will be fast friends/partners in crime:) Maiah did want him to come home with us tonight and I think he would have too....sometime next week though after the committee meets. We will see him again on Sunday for our trip...and then everyday next week until he is officially ours on paper....He is already ours in our hearts:) We have posted some pictures of our visit.....

Love to all,
Petrins X 6

The moment we have been waiting for....

and you are all sleeping!!!!!

Well, we have not received the government approval letter however they have told us that we can meet and visit with our boys (the other family is with their son right now) today and throughout the weekend. They will not convene the committee on our behalf until next week but at least we get to meet him today and he will get to do some sight seeing with us this weekend. Seth had school this morning and then an appt so we have to wait until 4pm but we will be picked up, go the orphanage and then take him out to dinner. So by the time you are awake and reading this, we will have met him for the first time:) We are all very excited...

Will post later tonight, hopefully with a few पिक्स


Love,
Derek,Stacy and Maiah
(it is Friday afternoon, 1:00pm)

Amazing Birthday/Reunion

What a day!! Words really cannot express all we are feeling right now. We went to the Children's Place orphanage this afternoon and what started out with a very tired Maiah ended up with her not wanting to leave.....she was hugging her caretakers and playing with her "girlfriends" or so she said:) She left asking when we were coming back to play some more...we made another play date with a few of the girls her age. Derek also had the best birthday ever with all the children singing happy birthday in both English and Mongolian and then several children got up and sang solos for Derek. They also blessed him with some tea mugs, so very sweet!! We went there bringing blessings for the children and left feeling so blessed by all these sweet faces, hugs and kisses. We left there knowing that God has a plan for these sweet kids, it was such a great time and so good to have Maiah leave with us happy and of her own free will:) We have posted pictures from today in web albums, just click on pictures in the side bar. Enjoy!!

Happy Birthday Derek/No News

It has been a busy day today with a visit to the Museum of Natural History and some shopping for groceries and a trip to the bakery for party supplies. Today is Derek's birthday and we are going to have a celebration he will never forget. We have gone out and bought 3 big cakes(the fanciest cakes you have ever seen) and candy for all the kids and are heading to the Children's Place for a reunion with Maiah's nannies/caretakers and we are going to celebrate Dereks birthday with all the children too. You can never have too many parties!! We can't wait to see and love on all of the children. We are also glad that the nannies will get to see how well Maiah is doing and that she is no longer the sad, kicking, screaming little girl that left there a little over 2 years ago. God is so good!!!

As for news, no official approval today. We have been getting lots of details/stories about our little guy.....evidently he recently found some matches at some point and was found playing with them, got caught before he burned down the whole building:) For those who know the Derek burning down the woods story, sounds like Seth takes after his Daddy after all!! They say he is "full of mischief" and the committee did tell me I would have my hands full!!! Most of the stories sound like he is trying to get attention.... and for those who know us, know that we are not scared:) We actually can't wait to meet our little pistol!! I think he and Maiah will be an interesting duo. Haha.

We will post pictures from the museum and party later this evening.

Love from Mongolia,
Stacy

Interview Complete!! One Step Closer.....

Just finished with our interview and it seems a happy, healthy Maiah was enough
for the committee. They were pleased with the post placement report that we sent on Maiah and the great pictures. Speaking of pictures, Maiah drew pictures of her, Seth, Nate and Kate during the entire meeting (1 hour). I think each committee memeber had a picture when we left. The committee actually went to the orphanage to meet Seth and the other little boy yesterday. This new committee is taking adoptions very serious which is a good thing.
They said that Seth Batbileg is a very smart boy, excelling in Math beyond his years and what were our plans for his education? I just knew God would give us one that loved Math.....dont ask Nate and Kaytlin what they think of Math!! They also said he is very stubborn and will sit in the corner and sulk....that sounds a little familiar to us:) They did tell us that were in favor of us adopting Seth and that we would get an official decision in a few days. At that point, we will meet Seth:) So, until then, we are going to rest and enjoy the 70+ degrees!! It is a heat wave and we have all winter clothes. I never thought I would say this but we are hoping for the temps to drop a wee bit next week!! Haha. Well, we have lots to do and see as we did not get to do much last time becasue of the extreme weather. We are one step and one day closer to meeting our Seth.

We are working on the internet issues, I am using a hotel computer right now. They have been great trying to help us fix the line in our room. Also, sounds like we could be home a few days early if all goes as planned right now but we are not changing tickets just yet but they only had us check in for 10 days right now.....
WoW, that would be great!!

Love to all and thanks for the prayers,
Stacy on behalf of the Petrin 6

Mongolia at last!!!!

20 hours of flying, 8 hours of layover and a few things to write about and we have arrived!!! We arrived to the hotel at about 1am all completely exhausted. Adoption is just like child birth and we had forgotten all about how long and painful the flight is. Dereks poor feet swelled up and looked like pigs feet. Not very comfortable for 14 hours:( The hotel is ok...we have little to no connectivity so will have to venture out to post some pictures once we meet our little man. . I have not been able to access the blog or gmail at all. We arrived to find out that we will have our government interview at 1015am, yes in just a few hours. This is a blessing but 1 day to get our act together would have been good but God will give us the strength to get through this day. Please pray that we can see and speak straight as I have slept for 3 hours in the last 2-3 days along with a few 20 minute naps!! I know that my "sympathy friends" that cannot sleep on a plane will be praying hard for me today!!! Derek and Maiah are currently sleeping away (639am here) . Maiah has been an angel the entire trip, keeping us laughing! Some of the things she says have made us laugh so hard, we cry!! She made a sweet friend on the plane and they passed notes and pictures back and forth the entire last 3 hour leg. Then they had a sweet goodbye when we arrived:) Please pray for our interview and that we would get to meet Seth soon!! Our Mongolian guide told us 2-3 days before we meet him for some reason, she did explain why we have to wait even though our interview is today. Something to do with the orphanage he is in but due to sheer exhaustion and broken English, I can not translate/recall right now. I am off to lay down for another hour before it is time to get ready for breakfast and the big interview. Thanks for praying. Nate and Kate, we love and miss you tons!!

Love,
Stacy, Derek and Maiah
now in Mongolia safe and sound....

Update From Korea

Hi, it is Mad again. I got an email from Derek at 6:00 A.M. today from Korea. They are exhausted but fine. The suitcase dilemna was solved and the suitcases are on there way to Mongolia. Maiah is an excellent little traveler. They should arrive in Mongolia around 10:30a.m. our time making it evening in Mongolia. I am pretty sure they are headed straight to bed! Thanks for all the prayers, don't stop. The next update should be from them.

Mad

Update from Atlanta

Hi everyone this is Mad, Derek's Mom. I am updating the Blog for them because they are unable to access the Blog from the airport. They could last time but this time they can't so they called me to do it. So......Update.......PRAY HARDER!!!!they have already had a few nitches in their travels. Tons of commotion at the airport in Virginia, then the lady who tagged their bags tagged them only to Korea not all the way to Mongolia, she forgot to give Derek his passport back, and Maiah has a rash starting on her face. But we know the enemy is just trying to annoy them so as we all pray more I am sure the rest will be smooth sailing. Maiah is being an angel and enjoying her trip so far. They think they solved the luggage dilemna in Atlanta but they won't actually know that until they get to Mongolia so pray for their suitcases. Besides all their own stuff they have suitcases filled with stuff they are bringing to the orphanges.

Derek has had 2 hours sleep, Stacy 3. If I hear anymore from them before they leave at 1:00p.m. I will let you know otherwise I guess the next update will be from them when they are in Mongolia.

Thanks for praying!
Mad

Amazed...

Well, we added this song (Amazed) to our play list this week after hearing it at church last Sunday. It is truly how we feel. We are in awe of the Fathers love for us and for Seth and how his amazing plan for Seth's life has unfolded. We are also amazed at the outpouring of love, prayers, help and financial gifts that we have been so very blessed by in the last 3 months and actually throughout this entire 2 year process!! Thank you for coming along side us and encouraging us when we did not see it coming together. It is hard to believe that we ever doubted going back a second time. Too bad we can't see the entire puzzle before the first piece is ever laid. However, Gods timing is perfect and it has all come full circle and it is almost time to go, less than 48 hours now. Yeah!!!

As for where we stand....

Our I171 showed up as promised midweek so all of our documents are in order now. (Wiping sweat off the brow..haha!!)

Maiah was ready six months ago, however Derek and I are still packing and taking care of last minute things. We think it may have been easier to bring Nathan and Kaytlin with us as it seems leaving them behind has been much more work!! Also, please pray for me as my mothers heart does not want to leave them for 3 weeks....I like all my children in the same nest, where ever that may be. I know that God will protect them and that they are in very good hands with our friends and family!!

Seth has shoes packed in sizes 9, 10, 11, and 12...please pray that he is not in a 1!! LOL!! They did not give us a shoe size so we are guessing!!

Derek wants prayer for the heat wave that has struck Mongolia this week....they said it went into the 60's and we are packing winter clothes as we were planning for 30's!! Those of you who know Derek will know that God has a funny sense of humor:)Haha....

Also, please just keep praying for Seth, for his last goodbyes, transition and overall peace in his little heart.

This will probably be the last update until we are in Atlanta as Nate has 2 soccer games today and we drop off Nathan and Kaytlin tomorrow and we will be at the airport for 4am Monday morning. I have a feeling the rest of this weekend will be a big blur filled with lots of craziness, emotion and excitement!!!

We love you all and thanks for praying,
Petrins