My Sister's Adoption Journey

The day after Thanksgiving in 2009, I went on a run with my big sis (I say big because she's 6 feet tall, 4 years older than me, and I've always looked up to her) while we were in our home town of St. George, Utah with all of our siblings and their children. As we ran that morning, we talked about life.  I could tell that something was weighing heavily on her heart. Eventually, our conversation led to how, when you pray about things, you have to be careful because if you really, really listen, sometimes you hear things God would like you to do for Him that you're not sure you can/want to do. 

That's when Michelle confided in me that this had recently happened. The spirit told her very plainly and simply that she had a daughter in Ethiopia, and even told her what agency to use to find her. Whoa! Overwhelming. They had five kids. They thought they were done adding to their family. Her husband traveled a lot on business. She was barely keeping up with the five. Needless to say, she was a little nervous to bring up the subject with with her husband, Dave.

As she was describing this to me, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. It was like we had had this conversation before, although I know we had not.

Immediately, the words I was thinking spilled from my mouth.

Something like, "Wow, that's so strange. I've been thinking about adoption, too. A lot. Like I can't get it out of my mind."

What are the chances?

I think The Lord knew that Michelle and I needed to have that conversation so that each of us would have the courage to act on the promptings that were both having. No one can give you courage and inspire you like a sister.

Well, to make a long story short, we both found the courage to take that first step of just talking to our husbands about it, and we were both in the process of our Home Studies within a couple of months. Both of our families planned to bring sweet little Ethiopian baby girls into our lives, to grow up as cousins. How fun!

If Michelle and I had ANY, A-N-Y idea that day on our run, where this journey would end up for both of our families, we would have completely freaked out. We were in no way prepared for what God had in store.

After an agonizing, soul-wrenching six months, I found our daughter on Reece's Rainbow. Never did I imagine that she would not be in Ethiopia, but Russia. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that we would have the guts to adopt a child who was five years old and had Down Syndrome. NEVER!  Who would have ever imagined we would be walking this road? Not me, not Jeremy, not anyone! Only our Heavenly Father. It was in His plan all along.  We know this without a doubt.

Well, about 10 months passed since we had changed our course from "healthy" Ethiopian baby girl, to Tatiana in Russia.  All those months, the Larsen's waited and waited for their referral.  Michelle would periodically look at the photos of the waiting children (older or with disabilities) that their agency was hoping to place with families. Slowly, their hearts were softened and prepared. They were open to whatever was in God's plan as far as age or minor physical limitations. They were even open to a sibling!

One day, I was packing our bags to travel to Russia for court. The phone rang and when I heard Michelle's voice, I knew from the sound of her voice that she had some news for me. 

Sure enough, she had found their daughter.  There was no question in her mind that those eyes were the eyes that the spirit had shown her. 

But here's the part that she didn't know that God had been preparing them for all this time:

Her little girl had, not just one sibling, but three. A sister and two brothers. Yep, there were FOUR of them. They had been relinquished as a family because their single mother could no longer feed them. Can you even imagine?

Two families had committed to adopt them in the past year, but when it came down to it, something didn't feel right for either of them and they just couldn't bring themselves to commit to that kind of change.

We know now that it's because these kiddos were meant to be Larsen's. Every one of them!

This has not been an easy decision for Michelle and Dave. They have wrestled and wrestled with God, wondering what this will do to their lives.  Their older kids have, too.

But our Heavenly Father knows that we are all much more capable than we believe we are. When he calls us to help Him, he equips us. Things that seem completely unthinkable become do-able, and even something that we can't do without!  The Larsen's are making their hearts and their home ready for all of these precious children. Isn't that just amazing?

Last week, Michelle and Dave and their two daughters traveled to Ethiopia and met their new family members for the first time.  Just look at how beautiful these kids are. Oh my.

They didn't have Internet access while there, but when they got home, Michelle introduced the world to each of her four beautiful new children on her blog.

You can read about it here.

It's just amazing how things work in our lives when we follow our hearts. 

These children are Larsen's through and through. I'm so excited for all of them!

Anya's Former Summer Residence

Our friend, Gretchen is in St. Pete right now for court. She has the privilege of visiting the summer camp that Anya's orphanage goes to every summer. She just wrote an amazing post on her blog about their experience there. The first part is a hilarious interpretation of her experience at the medical clinic. Surreal, for sure!

The last part is about their reunion with Ian after 3 months and their experience at the summer camp. I showed Anya the pictures on the computer and she definitely recognized them, but wasn't interested in looking for too long. I don't imagine they are the best of memories for her, though this place was definitely more enjoyable than the orphanage itself.


Ian will be coming home in just a few weeks and they still are needing about $7,000 to cover the costs. Please help them out with anything you can spare here!
Thank you so much!

Classic Song, New Perspective

If you were to ask a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints anywhere in the world what their favorite children's song is, they would most likely say, "I am a Child of God."  It's a beautiful, classic song that just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Really, knowing that you're a child of God affects everything in your life. It adds meaning and perspective during hard times and just makes you want to be a better person.



My Mother-in Law sent me the link to this video this morning, and it reminded me of something I've wanted to write about since last November.

I've heard this song and loved it my whole life, but never did it pierce my heart more than it did the day after we returned from our first trip to Russia, after meeting Anya for the first time and spending time in her orphanage. I don't know how anyone can spend time with parent-less children in an orphanage and have them desperately cling to you, and not leave a changed person.

The day after we returned home, those feelings were raw. My perspective was now different and I was on the verge of tears just thinking about what we had just experienced.  That morning at church, the Primary children (over a hundred of them) sang two songs in Sacrament Meeting because it was Thanksgiving weekend. The first song was about being thankful for all of God's blessings, and the other one was "I am a Child of God."

When I saw all those gorgeous children up there on the stand dressed in their Sunday best, I fought hard to  choke back my tears. But it was when I heard these familiar words that I totally lost it:

"I am a Child of God, and He has sent me here. Has given me and earthly home, with parents kind and dear. Lead me, guide me, walk beside me. Help me find the way. Teach me all that I can do to live with him some day."

I wanted to stop all those pretty children on their way back to their seats and say, "Do you have ANY idea just how blessed you are to have an earthly home, especially with parents parents who are kind and dear?
Oh, I hope you are really thankful, children. I mean really, really thankful."

Every time I hear that song now, I think about that day.

But really, that's only one part of the song, and the rest of it is what truly brings comfort to all people on the earth, whether they have earthly parents or not. It's about the blessings that are in store for everyone.

"I am a Child of God. Rich blessings are in store. If I but learn to do His will, I'll live with Him once more."

Even the 147 million orphans who are currently on the earth will one day know that they are Children of God. One day, they will be embraced by his love and know that they are home. I believe that God has families and  mansions prepared for them in heaven, where they will live happily forever and ever. That belief helps to make up for the pain, and at the same time, it moves me forward in somehow helping to make things better for them here on earth.

Surgery Day

OK, people. Anya here. Can I just tell you about my day today? 

First, Ma and I drove a long time in the car to go to a big hospital that had lots of kids in it.  We had to be there ate 10:30 in the morning. Mom forgot to bring a stroller and she was running a few minutes late. So she had to carry all 37 pounds of me so she could go faster and she got a little lost in the hospital. I just thought it was a cool place with all the colorful walls and stuff.

When we found the Same-Day Surgery check-in place, we had to wait there for a while. Then they took me into this little room and gave me a nightgown to wear and put a big itchy bracelet on my wrist. I tried to take it off cuz it was buggin'.

Good thing for Angry Birds on Mom's phone. I was like, "Ma! How long do we hafta sit here, anyway?"

After a while, this really nice lady came in and had Mom sign some more papers. Then she told us we would have to wait a good hour and a half for our turn in an operating room. Luckily, the "Pre-op Room" had lots of toys. I didn't mind the wait a bit!

When it was time to go into the O.R, the doctor that was gonna make me go to sleep came in to get me. After Mom talked to her for a while, she gave me a kiss and told me to go with the nice lady, but I didn't know her and I was wondering why Mom wasn't coming, too. When the doctor stopped to sign some papers, I quickly snuck down the hall. Next, I turned a corner, and lo and behold, there was my friend, Brady's mom! Brady had surgery today, too! I ran up to her and threw my arms out so she could pick me up.  The poor doctor found me in her arms and wondered who this lady was. Brady's mom said she was my mom's friend and she asked where my mom was. The doctor told her that Mom was in the waiting room and I was on my way to the O.R.  I was with her!  A little awkward and confusing, I must say.

Anyhow, the doctor was pretty amazed by me. She told Mom later that I must be "telepathic," whatever that means. She also told Mom a lot of other nice things about me too. Like how smart I was and how fast she thought I would learn to talk. 

We'll see about that. Hee hee. 

So after Brady's mom told me to go with the doctor, I decided I would. She took me into this big room and had me lay on a long, skinny bed. She put a thing on my nose that smelled like root beer. I got real sleepy, and that's all I remember of that place.

From what Mom says, three doctors came in to get me all fixed up while I took a nap.

First, a dentist came and worked on my teeth for an hour! He did a root canal and put a silver cap on one of my molars that was broken and cleaned my teeth up real good and filled in my cavities.  I'm glad I was out for all that!

Next, an ear doctor came in and got a whole bunch of impacted wax out of my ears, (I think I vaguely remember hearing him saying that he wondered if there were remnants of Russia in there) and checked to see if I needed tubes. Nope! My ears are in pretty darn good shape! They also did an hour-long hearing test of some sort and found out that I can hear real well.  I could have told them that myself, you know.  

The last doctor to come work on my was an eye doctor. He opened up my tear ducts with some little balloons but they didn't look like they would stay open, so he put some little flexible tubes in them that will have to come back out in a few months.  I'm just glad that Mom won't have to wipe the buggers out of my eyes all the time now.  I hate when she does that!

Next thing I knew, I was in and out of consciousness. I kept trying to open my heavy eyelids and focus on the TV and things.  My eyes kept rolling around and I kept rubbing them because they felt weird. Mom just kept kissing my forehead and saying she loved me. That made me feel much better.  Have I told you how much I love having a mama?

The nurse asked Mom lots of questions about my adoption. Then the doctor who put me out came in and asked Mom if it was OK if she shared our story with other people.  She said most of the stories she hears here are so sad, and this one was so happy, she wanted people to know about it. 

"Of course," said Mom.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for taking care of me today.  Thank you for all the nice doctors and nurses who helped my eyes work better and my ears and my teeth, too. 

Amen.

Sorry, had to say a little prayer. Anyway, thanks for letting me tell you all about my exciting day at Primary Children's Hospital. Now we're home and only Ma and I are here because Dad took my sis and brothers to a family reunion.

Hopefully I'll be out of my fogginess by tomorrow so we can go, too! I can't wait to meet all my Fillmore cousins and go swimming.

But until then, I'm just gonna sleep right here on this floor. Night night.