We are back in the good old USA

Wow, thanks for all of the prayers. 3 flights down, 1 to go and we should be home tonight in our bed. Total of 25 hours or so this trip, so not too bad. HA!! As we get our feet on the ground we will try to get a few more pictures up. Thanks again, and we will keep you posted as we try to get her home for Christmas.

Day 2

The morning visit of day 2 started off much the same as day 1. After a few minutes of stickers and crayons and "this will be ok", we went into a meltdown. But this one was much shorter lived. We were able to soothe her, and comfort her and after several minutes of down time, we were able to re-ingauge her in play.

She is very much a tactile learner. She looked like her cousin Ashley touching everything to see what it was. She and Leigh played with the balls in the ball pit. Leigh would roll them around the room, and the Diana would take them and put them into the other ball pit. By the time the visit was over she seemed to be much more comfortable with us. Even as people would come in and out she didn't have the same reactions as the first day. And we didn't have anymore breakdowns. After a little cajoling, we convinced the orphanage staff that since we didn't have anything else to do in Kotlas, so they should let us come back for the afternoon visit.

The afternoon visit was by far the best. We were able to go outside again, and Diana played with just us while we waited for her group to come out. She played with the bubble fan, and ran with us (or from us kinda hard to tell sometimes) and let us catch her and toss her around a bit. When her group came out, she fell right in with them but she had her new bubble toy and wasn't quite ready to share. They tell us that, “nobody takes her toys.” She would play with her group, but always checked over her shoulder to make sure we were watching her.

Then on the see-saw we saw it, the smiles, the giggles, even a little laughter. Deep down inside of this tough exterior shell is our little Anna Beth. She didn't let us see if for to long, like she suddenly remembered, “I am not supposed to let them see this” but it is there.
After play time, we went with her group back to her room. Her caregivers told us that she had surprisingly awakened from her afternoon nap early, and had hopped and skipped around like she was expecting us back. We got to take her to the potty again, and then came one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. After five years of knowing this time would come, it didn't make it any easier. They let us leave some things for her in her locker, then she gave us the biggest hugs you can imagine. We told her bye again and she waived. Then we had to leave quickly so that she couldn't see that it was us having the meltdowns this time. We spent the rest of the evening back at the hotel watching a movie and trying to rest. We are both so emotionally drained that we could do little more. We will be back, just not soon enough for any of the three of us.

Day one with Diana

Wow, what a morning. We met Diana (Anna Beth) this morning. After a meeting with the orphanage director, the social worker, and the head tutor, we were introduced to her. After several anxious moments, she was wooed by the Cheerios. We then spent the better part of two hours going back and forth between melt downs and quite play. She is very quite, shy and reserved. When she gets too much to handle, the first thing that pops out is the bottom lip.

If, after several deep breaths, she is still overwhelmed, the melt down occurs. Both Leigh and I were able to comfort her, and to get her back interested in the toys and such, but I know as stressful as it was for me it had to be so much more for her. Here are a few pictures from the morning. As always we don't know when we will have access for more updates, but they will come as they can. I leave you with today's devotion from “My Utmost for His Highest” John 14:27 “Peace I leave you with, My peace I give to you...” If you have ever been troubled or not at peace, have you turned to Jesus? Have you laid it all at his feet? Today we step out on Faith once again that our little girl with a broken heart will be given the chance to dream her dreams. With nothing but the faith that we are caring for His child, we press on to make her ours.

Bryan and Leigh Noon day 1

We are writing these each day, not only to share with you but journal for ourselves and for Anna Beth. Because we don't have internet access you will see all of this at once, and it will read much like the roller coaster this week has been.

After praying over John 14:27 we returned to the orphanage for another visit. This time we took a different approach and were a little more in command of our plans. We first asked to visit with Diana in her group. They brought her to us anyway by herself. After a nice visit with the Speech Therapist, and again with the doctor, we got to the business of trying on some new clothes. She seemed to really enjoy that. Then we got permission to video her playing with the other members of her group outside.

There was a lengthy delay as the caregivers decided the kids needed to change into some nicer play clothes if they were going to be on TV. When finally outside with her group Diana seemed to play well with others. We watched as she ran, and climbed, and laughed like a normal two year old should. She was very happy when in contact with her caregivers and playmates, and seemed to always be watching over her shoulder to make sure we were watching. (Though she still wouldn't get close to us.) After playtime we got to go to her room, a very nice room by any orphanage standard, I might add, we got to watch as she showed us her locker, and how to take off her outside shoes and put on her inside shoes. She showed us where her bed was, and even where the potty was. As we left we told her “Paka” or goodbye and she waived bye.

Leighbo types. We had a much better dinner and some down time, and fortunately due to my overuse of my “Charmin to go” clogging the toilet, we were moved to a muuuch nicer room in the hotel. As I went to bed I picked back up the devotion and went back to the scripture reference. I wanted to read the whole chapter and lost it again when I got to verse 18. I totally forgot that is where that was “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” WOW. Just when we think we can't take it anymore, when we don't know what to do, don't know what to pray, there it is. Just seek Him and His word. God knows me well enough that He just about has to knock my knees out from under me to get my attention. Well, my knees are a little sore this evening, but Bryan and I have peace that can only come from above. This whole adventure is not about Bryan and Leigh, or even about soon to be Anna Elizabeth Cordill, but about choices and life and stepping out of our comfort zone when we are called. I think this kid is gonna be our toughest assignment yet and some days are going to be tough. She has a lot to overcome for just a short time here on this earth. But I pray for us all because where there were two, there are now three.

WE are alive, just on dial up

Sorry for no real story, but just wanted to let everybody know that we are alive and well. We will get pictures up tomorrow when we get back to the hotel in Ark. We have had 1.5 days of interesting visits with Diana (Anna Beth) and the staff at the orphanage. We have our last visit this afternoon. Due to only having dial up access and using the secretary's computer, we are not able to load the pictures now. Talk to you tomorrow.

Our summer vacation at the beach

We were afraid that since we were not getting to take a summer vacation apart from our trips to Russia that we wouldn't get to see the beach this year. Well, this is the "beach" outside our hotel. This is the River Dvina and our hotel is on the banks of this river. We saw lots of sea, rivers, and marshy areas on the flight in. That flight was on something akin to a regional jet, just not quite as nice or as new.

The Hotel Pur Navolok is a nice hotel. Seems to be the only place that has a truely bi-lingual staff, so I am glad this is where we are staying. We have enjoyed our day of doing very little. We did venture out for a midday stroll. We found several shopping opportunities but all we could come up with to buy was bottled water for the hotel room, and a nice lunch. A good rule of thumb seems to be that if you can read the name of the resteraunt then they will probably have a menu for you in English.

We also met another couple that is here from Maryland. They are into day 6 of the 10 day waiting period. They get to see there son twice a day for 1-2 hours at a time. We had a nice visit with them over dinner. They still have about 3 weeks left in country so we will try to see them again when we come back from Kotlas.

We thank you for your continued prayers, and look forward to seeing you after we get home. Oh, and thanks Tyler for waiting until we left the country. We expect to see you at the airport Sat. night so we can give you both a big hug. We are very happy and hope we have our little flower girl home in time for the wedding!

The blue tarp on the roof kind made me feel like we were staying in New Orleans!!

We are in Russia

Twenty-three hours later, we are in Ark. Everything went just fine on all of the flights, including the Russian gentleman who didn't understand why I wanted to sit by Leigh, just that I wouldn't go away until he let me. We are tired but good. Going to get something to eat, and then to bed. We learned some more details about our trip, nothing has really changed. We just know more about what we will be doing.

Will update with pictures when we can.

Bryan and Leigh

The first trip is finally here

Hey guys. Well trip one has finally arrived. It has been along time since Bro David's series of "Know Fear" in November of 2003 when God confirmed the call in our lives to go to the orphan's of Russia. The emotions today are really hard to describe. Elation, fear, nervousness, great expectations, fear, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, joy, they just go on and on and seem to contradict one another. That being said, we are really glad that we have been able to walk to this point with our Lord, and with you by our sides. Since I have a plane waiting, I need to finish what I came here for.

We leave Monroe at 12:30 today. We get to Moscow at 11:00 tomorrow. There is a 9 hour time difference for you keeping score at home. We will connect at 2:30 Sunday afternoon for our flight into Arkhangelsk and get there a couple of hours later. We will be in the city of Ark until Tuesday evening about 5:00 when we will fly to Kotlas. We will meet Anna Beth sometime Wed. We will get to visit with her, the orphanage director, caregivers etc. Thursday as well. Hopefully Friday too as we don't leave Kotlas until that night around 7:00 PM. Saturday the 29th we reverse course and leave Ark around 7:00 in the morning, connect in Moscow, and the again in Atlanta ending up back in Monroe about 8:00 Sat. night.

We will have limited internet access, especially in Kotlas. Any updates or new photos of Anna Beth would not appear here until sometime Wed., but no guarantees. Could be not until Friday when we are back in Ark. We will do our best to beg/borrow/steal some bandwidth to get new photo's up here.

Please leave comments on the blog, as we might not get a chance to clear emails, facebook, etc. and we will focus on the blog.

Well, I have to go finish packing, Allen and Boogie are taking us to the airport, and I would hate to be late today.

With God's angels we go to the city named Arch Angel!!!

Bryan and Leigh

We got our Visas in today!! Looks like we have everything we need to go. We leave Monroe Saturday a little after noon. We get to Moscow Sunday a little before noon. We will make a connection and go on into Ark that day. THANKS FOR ALL THE PRAYERS TO DATE! It seems a little surreal after over four years to actually be packing to meet our daughter. Will let you know how it goes while we are overthere as best we can. We won't actually get to be with Anna Beth until Wednesday, so we will just be hanging out till then.

We have our first travel dates!

We got the news today. We will be in Kotlas on the 25th, and get to meet our little girl on the 26th. Today was my birthday, and this was one of the best birthday gifts I have ever gotten. We don't have all of the arrangements down pat, but looks like we will leave Monroe on sat the 22rd, get to Ark on the 23rd. We will just hang out until we go with our facilitator to Kotlas on the 25th. We will get to spend part of 2 or 3 days with her, and then repeat the process to get back home. Thanks again for all of the prayers. We continue to pray that we have her home for Christmas.

We found out today that our last paperwork has indeed been registered in Russia. We find out tomorrow when we travel!!!! More to come soon.

Getting closer to meeting our little girl

We have been advised to keep the calender clear between the 20th of August and the 30th. There are no guarantees, but we are hopeful that we will be able to travel during those dates to meet our little girl. Remember, this is just the first of probably 3 trips, and we won't get to bring her home this time. We are so excited to be this much closer to getting to bring her home. Please pray that we will get our travel dates, and that everything will go smoothly making the arrangements for that trip. Thanks again for all of the prayers, and we will keep you posted.