Prayers Answered

From the time we saw Irina's picture on http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ until now, we have asked the Lord to guide our steps. We asked the Lord to help Irina decide if she wanted to be our daughter or not. All those prayers were answered June 18th 2010! On our way to the orphanage that day, both of us were nervous. When we arrived we spoke with the lady Pediatrician that cares for Irina. She told us after we left yesterday, Irina was asking about us and wondering if we were coming back today. We all cried again knowing how long she has waited for a family. We went to her cottage and waited for them to bring her out. She was happy to see us again, but unsure of what was going on. While we waited for the Social Worker, we pulled out the photobook we made for Irina with pictures of our family and home. Amy even wrote Russian words in the photobook so she could understand. As she flipped through the pages, she still wasn't sure why she was looking at these pictures.When the Social Worker came into the room, I said "Irina after meeting you yesterday we want to know if you would like to be our daughter?"I said "We want you and would love to have you as our daughter." She smiled and said"Dah" (yes) "Hoh- chesh"(I want to). She said YES! God had it all covered! Our facilitator spoke with her at length explaining to Irina that she would not live in Ukraine anymore, but America. Irina continued to say "Yes " she wanted to be our daughter! She got up and gave me hug! It was a blessing I was not expecting. Then our facilitator asked Irina about her name, if she wanted a new name. We told her we love her name and didn't want to change it unless she did. She said she liked her name Irina(Ira for short "Ear-raa"),but she was ready for a new last name. We told her we wanted to give her the middle name "Elizabeth" after her Grandmother, and said her new last name was Allen. She repeated it back to us with a big smile and her cute accent ,"Irina Elizabeth Allen". She handled everything like a champ! I worried for no reason. God prepared her just like we asked!

When everyone stood up to leave the cottage she grabbed my hand and ran outside with her photobook yelling to everyone "Mama"& "Papa" God answered our prayers above and beyond. He gave MORE than we could have asked for!