Day 5

Today was a sweet but difficult goodbye.  We had a birthday party for Avery.  All the children in her group, the orphanage workers, and her teacher were there.  It was great!  They decorated the play room so nicely and we brought a cake for everyone to share.  The children danced and they sang a celebration song for Avery.  We sang Happy Birthday and she blew out the candles.  It was such a sweet party.  After the party, we got to visit for a while and then we said our goodbyes to everyone.  Saying goodbye to our sweet girl was so difficult.  How do you reassure a child that you will return?  How can they understand that they really aren't being abandoned all over again?    Avery's Baba, a very sweet Bulgarian lady, was there to take her and she told us not to worry, that she will take good care of her until we return.  We are so grateful to her and to the workers at the orphanage for the care that they have given to Avery....and the other children.  They genuinely seem to care about them.  But....leaving her there was more difficult than we ever imagined it could be.  We now just pray.....pray for her safety and health, pray for a speedy process, and pray for a quick return to pick her up and bring her home to her family.  Please pray with us......

I am including some pictures of Avery at her party today.  She looks so pretty in pink!! 

What a sweet princess!

We are now back in Sofia.  Tomorrow will be our sightseeing day and then on Sunday we head to Blagoevgrad (Blah goyv grod).

Yes, we are still practicing the correct way to say it!!   :)

On Monday, we get to meet our son....we are very excited.  Please pray with us that all is well there.  We have not seen any new pictures or had any updates since we started the process.  The only information we have is from when he was an infant and he turned 3 on March 31.   We are trusting God and we know that we are following his will.