Orphanage in Pokrovka

Pokrovka is about 3 hours outside of Vladivostok or 1 hour from Ussuriisk. It is a very small village out in the middle of nowhere, right on the Chinese border. The orphanage is not really an orphanage, in Russian they call it an internatz. It is a "home for children without parents" and is quite different from usual Russian orphanages.

The children at Pokrovka range in age from 8 to 17. It is a pretty big building, half of which is a school and half of which is housing. We ate lunch there and were quite impressed by the food. It wasn't gourmet but the children got a decent portion, especially compared to the orphanage where Dima was and where Max and Nastia were previously.

The children spend about 4 hours per day in classes and then have free time to get into lots of trouble. Some of the children seem to be able to come and go as they wish, though there isn't much to go to in Pokrovka. In the summer, the home closes down and the children are farmed out to private families whom I assume receive some sort of stipend.

We spent a couple of weeks there in Feb. 2003 when we adopted Max and Dima. It was an experience which we still treasure. We both felt that those few hours we spent with the children each day were some of the times when we felt closest to The Savior and to His work.

When we would walk into the place, we would immediately be swarmed by children. Even the 15, 16 and 17 year olds were not hesitant to approach us. We did bring food for the children each day so that was part of the appeal. They would take the stuff and then run off like little squirrels to they rooms to store it for later. Then, they would come back and visit with us.

If I sat on the couch I would immediately be surrounded by girls - mostly Nastia's friends - and they would stroke my hair and snuggle up to me, hold my hand and give me hugs. Even now it brings me to tears to think about it. Even though these girls were teenagers, their needs were still the same as the toddler's needs. They needed a mama. Oh, how we wish we could have given a family to more of them.

The boys would surround Robert and Alexander. They figured Robert was a basketball player (he's 6'6") and so they would talk to him about sports even though he couldn't understand a word. Some of the lighter ones would ask for Robert to put them up on his shoulders - 10 and 13 year olds, they had just never had a chance to do that before. Alexander was interesting too, but they wanted to know about his gameboy, his clothes, his school and life in America for a child.

We were the first people to adopt from Pokrovka. It is basically a home for children, to prepare them to go out into the world. At 16 they are supposed to leave, though I know there were 1 or 2 there who were 17 years old.

There is a girl who is in almost every picture with Nastia. We are going to try to find out about her and maybe find someone who is looking for a beautiful girl to add to their family.

I will publish pictures as soon as I can. The hotel we are staying in has very limited internet and it is hard to do anything.

Orphanage Drive

I have posted here many times about the amazing people I've met through our adoptions. Many of them have been in "the field", but most of them have been adoptive parents and some have even been strangers with big hearts. We have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have asked if they could help in some way. In fact, the only reason we've been able to keep in touch with what is going on with Anastasia is through the help of a friend (Mary Kirkpatrick) who has organized all this for us.

The man, Alex, who has been making these runs to Vlad for us had an interesting experience when he went to visit Anastasia this time. The director asked that he buy laundry detergent and food before he was allowed to talk to Anastasia. Apparently the orphanage is in dire need. Mary has suggested that we start a drive to see if we can raise money for the orphanage. My thought is that before we leave we will buy a lot of school supplies (this is what Anastasia always asks for) and then when we get there, we could use the bulk of the money for food, detergent and maybe even some clothes depending upon how much we raise.

I will post more details as soon as I figure out how we will organize this. In the meantime, I've met a wonderful friend, Kristen Fudge, who has a website of her own which she started to help pay for her adoption. She has agreed to put aside 1/2 of her proceeds to Anastasia's fund. Isn't that wonderful? There are some amazing people out there. Kristen sells clothes, Christmas decorations, and lavender and other satchels all with a vintage theme - many of them Russian vintage. Check out her site and you will be helping 2 families if you decide to buy!
Kristens website is:
www.doodlebugshop.com

Anastasia's pictures

In most of the pictures she looks sad or pensive but he managed to get a little smile out of her in some of them. She has some bruises on her head and on her arm which Max noticed right away and is now really concerned about. My poor babies!!


Here are some of the photos we got from Alex's last trip to Pokrovka:

Big News!!

Okay, I only have the prelim. report from Alex (we sent him to Pokrovka again to see what is going on and bring some things to Anastasia).

THE PARENTAL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN DENIED. ANASTASIA IS FREE FOR ADOPTION. She is already on the database and will be free in 6 months. We are beside ourselves -- really, we are so excited. We just found out 10 minutes ago and I couldn't wait to post the news. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

First thing tomorrow I need to find an agency and get going again. Please keep praying for us, it works! Thank you all my dear friends for keeping Anastasia in your prayers. Thank you Leslie for feeding the little fire of hope that flickers in my heart.

I can't wait till morning when I can tell Max!
Hurray.

A

Alexander waiting for the President

This is on a field trip at the end of 3rd grade. The boys went to a museum which celebrates Mozart. It is the 200th birthday of Mozart so everything in Vienna is all about Mozart. The boys got to put on costumes and make up and practice on musical instruments - it was lots of fun.
Here is Max in full Drag! This is at the museum too. They had boys costumes as well, but Max was already dressed like this when I found him. Yes, they need a sister!
This is just a cute picture of Dima - he is so photogenic. We are so grateful he got those brown, rotten teeth pulled because before that, he would never smile in photos and he was always so self- concious. Now just look at that grin!

Alexander's photos

A Two Headed Deer? Alexander took this photo on our
4th of July trip to Hohe Wand - a national park about 2 hours from Vienna.
Alexander with Ms. Rice

President Bush

These are the vineyards behind our home. This is the view looking down into Vienna. My two friends and I walk along this path every morning from 6am to 7am. It is a great way to start the day. We are going to miss this beauty so much - it is breathtaking!

You may have heard that President Bush came to visit us in Vienna. Here are a few good shots that Max took during the visit. My camera isn't working but as soon as I get it up and running, I've also got some good shots of all 3 boys shaking hands with the President.
It was lots of fun.
Max and Mrs. Bush -- that is Robert off to the right.

A.I.S.

Leaving Vienna...........

We have packed our last box. Everything left on the truck on Friday evening and our house is clean and empty. On Saturday we spent the day cleaning because on Monday morning, the Embassy comes to inspect the condition of the house and of the furniture etc. We need to have everything looking well.

As I have been cleaning, I have been overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness but also one of immense gratitude for the experience we have had here in Vienna. Our home is so beautiful. I want to describe it so I never forget -- we have had so many blessings and miracles.

We live on a corner in a series of 10 houses that look exactly like ours. On the main level is a fenced in yard, come in the front door and we have a kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom and a guestroom (my mom's room) with bathroom. Up one level are 4 bedrooms - master bedroom, Max's room, Dima's room and Anastasia's room. Up another level and there is a huge, huge room which we turned into Alexander's bedroom - go out on his balcony and there is a perfect view of Vienna straight ahead and the Vienna Forest (WienerWald) behind. There is also another room up there which we used for Storage.
Down to the basement we have a giant laundry room, 2 big storage rooms, the Ping Pong Table room, The Game Cube room and the boy's dressing room where I keep their dressers and clothes. You can walk out to the garage from the basement. What luxury! The school is right across the street. It has just been one blessing after another!

At church yesterday I stood up at the podium and gave a short talk (my testimony) and was able to look out at all the faces of the people I've come to love so much. My heart was ripping in two. It can be so difficult to leave friends and move on. I have made such good friends here - they are more than friends, they are my sisters and I know that relationship is eternal and that is what makes it okay for me. It was no coincidence that we came to Vienna. We just love it here - the beauty, the friends, the opportunities, our beautiful home, our ward (congregation).

But, we still look forward to our nice vacation at home and that is where I keep trying to point my children and myself too. Though it will be difficult to serve another overseas assignment and be away from family for another 2 or 3 years, it is also another blessing that we won't be far from these wonderful friends!

This is the boy's school, American International School of Vienna. It is such a great school and it's right across the street!

Mid-June

Well, there is not so much to report, but I haven't written in so long....
The boys are out of school - it has been three days and they are already asking to go here and there. We are packing out on June 28,29, and 30th so there won't be so many activities before then. We are just very busy getting things ready and also doing things "for the last time". We are going to miss Vienna so very much. We love it here, it is so beautiful and we have made so many good friends.

When I picked the boys up from school on Tuesday, all the kids were sobbing as they came out of their classrooms. How different than from when I was a child. All I could think about was, yeah! 3 months no school! But here, children come and go and best friends get left behind and things change drastically at the end of the year. It was so sad. Even the boys were sobbing.

The church in Vienna is awesome. I have made friendships here that will last into eternity - how often can someone say that? It has been fabulous. I hope there will be plenty of good works for us to do in Frankfurt. That is the best way to heal a lonely heart.

We made a decision about homeschooling next year. We are going to use Calvert School which is a homeschooling program/curriculum with online support from teachers. I think it will be very good for me as a first year homeschool teacher to have that extra support. The curriculum looks very traditional. The boys all had to take a placement test and I guess it will take some time to get the results back.

I am excited to re-learn all the things I've forgotten. I know it will be a huge challenge, but I think there will be so many rewards too.

No news on Anastasia. We are still waiting in limbo. It just feel so surrealistic now. She seems so far away and sometimes the boys forget her name and it is just so sad. We continue to hope and pray and know that somehow, though it may be beyond our ability, we will have her as part of our family.

Our baby: Well, things in China have really slowed down now. We should have had her by now, but we don't even have our referral yet. Sigh. Well, as of now, we are expecting to have her before Christmas. We have finally decided on a name...............drumroll please..........Grace. We had been thinking all along that we would name her Judy Rose, Judy after my mom and Rose, just because it is such a pretty and dainty name and we felt it would suit a chinese girl. But, then Grace popped into our heads and wouldn't go away. Anyway, I think it is settled now.

I have to go now and cut the boys' hair - they all look like shaggy dogs, I have just been so busy.
We will still have our computer up until the time we leave (July 12) so I will post again. We are so excited about our vacation plans.

Oprah -- Please answer the children!

During our adoption processes we have unfortunately met with horrible dishonesty, beauracracy, and downright abuse. It has been disturbing and sad to us. But, we have also met the most wonderful people. People who love children and people who will help total strangers. We have met dozens of them along the way and they uplift and inspire us.

I just heard the most wonderful story through a letter my grandma wrote me. I read it last night and it brought tears of joy and also the great wonderment that comes of recognizing another's pure heart and intent of charity.

My grandparents spend their lives travelling around the U.S. in their beautiful little home on wheels. They have made it into the home that grandmas always have - comfy, cozy, smelling of bread or some other goodie you can't wait to try. He keeps busy working on the truck or the home and she keeps busy making the inside cozy and meeting people and befriending them at every little R.V. park they pull into. They both keep very busy picking up odd and sometimes really strenuous jobs at the Parks they stay at. One summer they worked in a restaurant in Utah and most recently they worked raking leaves and selling memberships at a little place in Northern California. (And they aren't Spring Chickens you know!) Somehow, they have time to meet amazing people along the way and within very short amounts of time, they can form lasting friendships.

Apparently, my grandma has made one such friend named Leslie. I don't know anything about her except she is my grandma's friend, she is a kindergarten teacher and as my grandma's friend she has probably been subjected to sitting down with a bagel and a cold drink while my grandparents brag about their grandchildren. Apparently, this included reading portions of this blog to her.

She sounds like an extemely kind hearted person and she took Anastasia's story to heart. Grandma says that she isn't the type of lady to sit on her laurels -she has done many things like raising money for the needy and I think she even got a school built in Africa - wow. Anyway, she wanted to help Anastasia so she printed off some of Anastasia's pictures and took them to school with her. She and her children then wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey pleading with her to help us get Anastasia. They now keep Anastasia's picture up in their classroom. I am so thrilled to learn of such a wonderful teacher who can inspire the littlest of God's children to care about another. She should be teacher of the year!

Unfortunately, Oprah hasn't written back to them and the children are now worried because it is getting close to the end of the year. I am sure that their positive thoughts and actions are going to go a long way to helping us to get Anastasia, we are so blessed just to know about a teacher and little students like them - what a great example they are!

Leslie, if you are reading this, please pass a message on to your students.

Dear Children,
We have not and will not ever give up the fight to get our daughter home. She is not just our daughter but she is also Max's sister and he misses her so much -- we will keep fighting until we find a way to bring her home. Even if Oprah can't help, that is okay, someone, somewhere will help us get her. It is because of people like you who took the time out to care for a stranger; you are the people who make things change and who make good things happen in the world. We thank you with all of our hearts and I feel certain that even though Oprah hasn't written back to you yet, that if she has read that letter, she is thinking about Anastasia and maybe even praying for her too - so maybe she will be able to help us afterall! Please keep loving and serving strangers and your lives will be blessed and one day you will make a difference that you can see, but for now, you have made a difference you can't see, but one that the Baxter family can feel.
Have a wonderful summer and consider yourselves very lucky to have a teacher like Ms. Leslie!
With much love,
Robert, Holly, Alexander, Max and Dmitry

Anastasia

It has become so difficult to talk about her. It just saddens me so much, yet I want to keep her name and her spirit alive in our house. How else will we keep fighting for her?

Our latest information is that the whole parental termination process halted in January. Unbeknownst to us, the father was arrested again -- for murder this time and thrown into jail. The government won't allow the state to terminate his rights while he is in prison. That is about all the information we have and that was recently supplied by the every vigilant Alex - thank goodness for him.

We have no idea how we will proceed from here. Do we have the right to keep asking for Miracles? We need another one though. We have spoken with some agencies but no one wants to help us - it is just too messy and complicated. We recently got the name of a high powered adoption lawyer who has helped people in similar situations. I have emailed her but haven't heard back yet. If she doesn't help us, we don't know where we will go from here.

The most positive outcome would be that somehow, through a Miracle, the father's rights get terminated. Still, even with this scenario, that would mean at least a year before we can get her: six months waiting for the termination to be contested and six months waiting for her on the Russian database allowing Russian families a fair shot at adopting her.

We are praying and praying and we thank all of you who continue to remember Anastasia and think about her or pray for her. You keep us going...

Poor Robert's Leg May 9th

Robert is in surgery now. He is having the metal plate removed from his leg. It has been bothering him and the screws are working their way loose so the doctor recommended the removal.

He should be out of surgery this afternoon and able to come home tomorrow. We will both be so happy to get all this hospital stuff behind us. The hope is that he will experience much less soreness and stiffness after the metal is out of his leg.

I can't wait for him to be home again!

I hope I'm back now....

I doubt anyone is reading this anymore, I've been so negligent in keeping up with it. I will give the short version of my busy life lately...
Last I posted, Alex was going to Vladivostok to visit with Anastasia he did do that and had a good visit with her. Unfortunately, we also learned at that time that it would be a year before we could even start the process with her. We would have to wait for the trial to be ended to have the father's rights terminated, then a six month wait before she goes on the database and then another six month wait to give the Russians a chance to adopt her - then we can try.

I'm afraid that this sent me into a depression - it just hit me really hard. I think it was exaccerbated because it was the first Christmas that my mom couldn't make it here to be with us. She came for a visit at the beginning of Dec. but still, it wasn't the same.

After that, it was just really hard to post. On Jan 2nd, Robert broke his leg. He was in the hospital a week, followed by crutches for 2 months! I was a maniac driving him around and I was just so exhausted all the time. Then, my mom got medivac-ed to Vienna from her post in Tripoli. She was having severe shoulder problems and ended up in emergency surgery. She was here for 2 months and in and out of the hospital much of the time. This also overlapped with Robert's cast, and his doctors appointments. It was great to have her here though. Now, she is back safe and sound (hah!) in Tripoli.

Anyway, at the end of all that, I asked the Bishop to release me from my calling as Primary President (in charge of the children's sunday school program) so that I can start getting ready for our big move in July. Whew. As I said, I've been busy. Of course, interspersed in there were lots of winter illnesses with the three boys. I believe that for about 5 or 6 weeks one of them was home from school everyday. There was a point where two of them were home together.

So, life is back to normal now, I can finally start concentrating on getting my house in order and ready to come back to the States. We were all excited about it and then Robert came home from work last night with the news--the State Department is sending us to Frankfurt (Germany - not Kentucky!) instead of back to the States. We are okay with it. We really feel like if we are living right that we will end up in the place we are supposed to be. It will also help us and put off having to buy a house for another 2 years. That is a good thing because the prices in VA are outrageous right now!

The Chinese adoption is progressing -- I guess. When we started this process we were told it would take about 6 months from the time we submitted our paperwork. Of course, that has now changed to 10-12 months. We are hoping to get her in Sept or Oct ??? Hopefully!

The other big news is that we've decided to homeschool next year. There are a thousand reasons for this, but I think my children need a chance to bond and meld together as a family. Especially since the boys are so much older than their sister. This will give us a chance to be home all together and work together - much as I think the early Americans lived. I am nervous about it but also excited. Next year Alexander will be in 7th grade, Max and Dima will be in 4th grade, but I am thinking about doing 3rd grade again for Max - he just had such a hard time this year. However, he is now starting to read and that is making a huge difference. Both boys speak pretty much without an accent. It is truly a miracle.

The name debate for the baby still goes on around here, the top choices currently are:
Judy
Edith (my grandma)
Grace
Rose
Judy Rose
We pretty much love all these names but feel so strongly that we are getting this child the same way we got our other ones - through God's grace. We are constantly stunned by the blessings He has given us. We should spend so much more time each day on our knees in gratitude. We also feel this new job assignment is another of God's miracles for us.

As excited as we were to come home, there were a few things that have really been stressing us out. Like, how to spend another glop of money on the Chinese adoption, get Anastasia's adoption restarted, buy a house (yikes!) which will accomodate, gulp, 5 children! And we were also very stressed about our home leave. We are planning a 6 week road trip across the U.S - so we can visit all of our family all over the place and show our children the beauty of our great country in which they have spent so little time. Anyway, the stressful part of this was our two dogs - I always worry about them. Our plan was to drag them along on the trip, but it is so hot in the summer time and we wouldn't be able to leave them in the car much etc etc. Anyway, this is now solved. We have a wonderful, wonderful lady here who watches them from time to time. We can just leave them here and then leave our car here, fly back to Vienna, and then drive them to Frankfurt. This is such a huge relief for me. How beautiful that our prayers have been answered and in ways we didn't even imagine. That shows what we know!

Well, that is the nutshell of the last few months. I will try to be better about posting again.