I consider 550 pages a perfect amount of pages for a book. Too many more and it's only purpose should be a doorstop. Too many less and the reader feels gypped. It's a fine line my friends, a fine line.
That being said, this blog From Russia With Love has hit perfection. 550 blog entries. Spanning close to four years. This my friends, is now an official epic novel. Holy cow. What a ride it has been. Charlie has been home almost 2 years. Jack for over a year. Where did all the time go?
For your reading pleasure here are the top 10 links to my favorite posts:
1- February 3, 2009 Our "Official Letter" Here is where it all began. Our letter announcing to the World that we were adopting. We had met with CWA a few weeks earlier and decided on Russia. We were so full of joy and hope!
2- March 3, 2010 "WE GOT THE CALL!!!!!" You really don't need to follow this link because the entire post consists of the following "IT'S A BOY!!! MORE INFO TO FOLLOW....I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT RIGHT NOW!!!!" For the real scoop, you should read "Details"
3- March 28- April 9 And then the joy mixed with the pain. We got home from Russia "Welcome Home!" and then a brief two weeks later, utter devastation. She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named sends her son back to Russia and our World comes crumbling down around us. Prayer Request. Little did I know for the next year we would be in the battle of our lives to bring our boy home.
4- September 21, 2010. "If you think I'm a Saint DO NOT read this post" The low point in the wait, the red tape, the government stupidity. I guess we laughed to keep from crying.
5- December 7, 2010 "WE GOT THE CALL" Possibly the single greatest day of my life. After our region had been "frozen" for close to a year we finally got a court date. But with a disclaimer. We couldn't tell anyone. Kinda like the pastor that played hooky from church on Sunday to golf, scored a hole in one, and couldn't tell a soul. But when I thought about Charlie and he would be in my arms forever in another two grueling months it made all the secrecy worth it.
6- February 7, 2011 "No More Goodbyes" The only blog entry written by my husband. The day we finally liberated our little man and drove away from the orphanage in a big yellow bus into the frozen tundra. No longer an orphan. What a joyous day!
7- August 31, 2011 Out of the blue (we've been home from Russia about 7 months) we receive an "SOS", the opportunity to adopt an unborn baby. Still recovering from the great Russia disaster (the process, not the baby...) Our heads were spinning under the circumstances.
8- September 13, 2011 And the answer is..... Now we have two months to do a home study, hire an attorney, scrape together some more money, prepare our hearts and our home for a baby.
9- November 11, 2011. And introducing the world's cutest bear... "Baby Bear" I can't believe we have a baby. At our house. A baby. I didn't see that one coming.
10- March 19, 2011 "Brothers!" And everyday I still pinch myself. Two wonderful, beautiful boys. Our boys. Life is so sweet. God is so good. I am so blessed.
That being said, this blog From Russia With Love has hit perfection. 550 blog entries. Spanning close to four years. This my friends, is now an official epic novel. Holy cow. What a ride it has been. Charlie has been home almost 2 years. Jack for over a year. Where did all the time go?
For your reading pleasure here are the top 10 links to my favorite posts:
1- February 3, 2009 Our "Official Letter" Here is where it all began. Our letter announcing to the World that we were adopting. We had met with CWA a few weeks earlier and decided on Russia. We were so full of joy and hope!
2- March 3, 2010 "WE GOT THE CALL!!!!!" You really don't need to follow this link because the entire post consists of the following "IT'S A BOY!!! MORE INFO TO FOLLOW....I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT RIGHT NOW!!!!" For the real scoop, you should read "Details"
3- March 28- April 9 And then the joy mixed with the pain. We got home from Russia "Welcome Home!" and then a brief two weeks later, utter devastation. She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named sends her son back to Russia and our World comes crumbling down around us. Prayer Request. Little did I know for the next year we would be in the battle of our lives to bring our boy home.
4- September 21, 2010. "If you think I'm a Saint DO NOT read this post" The low point in the wait, the red tape, the government stupidity. I guess we laughed to keep from crying.
5- December 7, 2010 "WE GOT THE CALL" Possibly the single greatest day of my life. After our region had been "frozen" for close to a year we finally got a court date. But with a disclaimer. We couldn't tell anyone. Kinda like the pastor that played hooky from church on Sunday to golf, scored a hole in one, and couldn't tell a soul. But when I thought about Charlie and he would be in my arms forever in another two grueling months it made all the secrecy worth it.
6- February 7, 2011 "No More Goodbyes" The only blog entry written by my husband. The day we finally liberated our little man and drove away from the orphanage in a big yellow bus into the frozen tundra. No longer an orphan. What a joyous day!
7- August 31, 2011 Out of the blue (we've been home from Russia about 7 months) we receive an "SOS", the opportunity to adopt an unborn baby. Still recovering from the great Russia disaster (the process, not the baby...) Our heads were spinning under the circumstances.
8- September 13, 2011 And the answer is..... Now we have two months to do a home study, hire an attorney, scrape together some more money, prepare our hearts and our home for a baby.
9- November 11, 2011. And introducing the world's cutest bear... "Baby Bear" I can't believe we have a baby. At our house. A baby. I didn't see that one coming.
10- March 19, 2011 "Brothers!" And everyday I still pinch myself. Two wonderful, beautiful boys. Our boys. Life is so sweet. God is so good. I am so blessed.
Oh, I remember finding your blog in the midst of the LONG wait, not knowing we were with the same agency. And I remember seeing your post in my reader that you were in country- I was just so giddy for you guys!!!! What a thrill!! And I loved the miracle surprise you had no idea God has for you when Jack came along! Yes, God is so good! The tough stuff just pulls us closer to Him (when we can resist our fleshly desire to run in the other direction) and the outcome is worth the yuck and the length and the unknowns. Praising Him for this sweet spot in your journey that is full of joy and laughter and love and 2 little men running through your house (well, maybe 1 little man running and the other trying to keep up!)
ReplyDeletePS- March 19, 2012 (not 2011! hehe)