[mikiment]

Amy, you are not alone. So many of us have been where you are, and all we can say is, hang in there and you WILL get to the other side. While this whole process is -- well -- excruciating, the bottom line is if you can hang in there, even if it's by your fingernails, survive major changes in the process, lost referrals, bitter disappointments, watching your friends marry, get pregnant, and deliver while you are still in agony waiting, you WILL eventually become parents. Both the sad and happy news is that there are literally hundreds of thousands of children in orphanages and baby homes in Russia, so at the end of the day if you can make yourself hang in there, you WILL get your child. I used to tell myself, if it's this hard on me while I'm waiting, how hard must it be for my babies? For so many, they have NO hope. I couldn't let them down. I had to keep going.

That's not to "guilt" you into something by any means. Just another perspective -- you aren't the only one hurting to become part of a family. Right now, on the other side of the world, there are children desperately needing parents -- of all ages, all sizes, all ethnicities -- waiting for us. Needing US to come and get them.

All it costs you is everything -- your $$, your time, major pieces of your heart, and more than a bit of your sanity -- but it is still most definitely worth it. Those of us who've been there will keep reaching back to pull those of you still waiting through the process. We know the hell you are going through. But like my grandma used to say, When you're going through hell, for heaven's sake, DON'T STOP!!

Just keep praying, keep plugging along, and keep leaning heavily on this support network for prayer, encouragement and support. We know how you feel. Vent away. Cry, call out, share your feelings without editing yourself, and know that you have nonjudgemental friends here who will understand and help you hang in there one more day. And we promise, YOUR DAY will come. It's worth everything.

You can do it. We will help you. Big hugs and God bless.