Our Meeting with "Z"

'Today, November 11 (Veterans Day), was a glorious day and will be remembered by Amy and I forever!!  Once again, thank you everyone that has prayed for our journey and for "Z."  Amy and I had nervous anxiety going into today.  Before leaving for Gavril Genova, the AMOR agents Moya and Ivan let us know that Z was excited about the meeting, but we still had some nervous feelings, but we also knew God was blessing this adoption (but we are human and let our own emotions get in the way).  We got to the orphanage and met the head master and "Z's" social worker.  After answering some questions, "Z" was brought to the room.

There are no words that can describe how awesome it was.  For me, it ranked up there with marrying Amy, and the birth of our two sons!  It was glorious!!

She came in the room with a beautiful smile and immediately gave Amy and I a hug!  We gave her a little stuffed bear which she named immediately after a life long friend of hers that is also in the process of being adopted.  Then she started to look at the scrap book we created (Amy did a great job putting this together).  The first page is a picture of Amy and I, and she quickly pointed at the picture and said Momma and Daddy!!  I think Amy and I nearly lost it, but stayed composed.  She was so excited to go through the scrap book from front to back.  I think she went through it thirty plus times throughout the day.

When it was time for "Z" to show us her room, she reached out and grabbed Amy's hand and said, "come Momma!"  Once again, I had to fight back tears (OK, I was losing the battle, but stayed composed).

We then went to the instruction room and got to chat with her and she was just so excited to be with us!  She was going 100 miles an hour!  I thank God for all the times she called us Momma and Daddy and gave us hugs.

For lunch, we went to a little restaurant in the village and as we walked to the car she held Amy's hand like she had been her momma forever!  It was so heart warming to see!!  Then as we get in the car, she sat between Amy and I and she reached out and took my hand and held it close to her!  What Daddy doesn't like that?!  I will cherish that moment forever!  At the restaurant, she just continued to be the star of the moment!!  By the way, for such a little girl, she sure has an appetite and is not a picky eater. Then she reached up and gave me a kiss on the cheek....Yep, you guessed it, I had to choke back the tears again!

After leaving the restaurant we went to a nearby monestary for St. John the Baptist.  We toured the monestary and after leaving the temple we see many priests and monks on the other end of the courtyard.  That is when all our guides' jaws dropped as the high patriarch of Bulgaria was among the group of men, Patriarch Simeon Nikolov Dimitrov.  Maya, wanted to get closer and was holding "Z's" hand and made it to the bottom of the steps he had just climbed up with all the other priests and monks.  He looked down and requested that she come up with "Z". So she did.  That is when Maya explained that she is being adopted and will be going to America soon.  He immediately blessed "Z" and then looked down at us and sent us his blessing as well!  I wish I had a camera to get the facial expressions from the agency as this happened.  Right after the blessing, "Z" walked to the edge of the balcony, looked down at Amy and I and blew us a big kiss!! (YES, Amy and I shed another tear!)  It was a glorious moment!  Amy and I may not be Catholic (actually Bulgarian Orthodox), but that was AMAZING!! And to receive a blessing from the highest priest of Bulgaria, was a nice feeling!!

We went back to the orphanage and spent more glorious time with "Z" and it was great!  Again, just hearing Momma and Daddy was amazing!!

Tomorrow we will spend another day with her and will focus more on our entire family!!  I cannot wait to continue to share!!  Thanks again for all the prayers!! Please, keep it up!!

God Bless