It's Carrie's Day!

Today is my friend Carrie's birthday! For those of you just tuning in, we met Carrie and her husband Matt while we were adopting our sons from Russia. I am a very timid person, and travelling to Russia was way out of my comfort zone. It was something I had to do, but I was very nervous about getting it done. Actually, to say I was nervous was a tremendous understatement. I laid awake at night worrying about flying for 12 hours over the Atlantic, landing in a foreign country, staying in Moscow, taking a plane to my unknown child's region, and meeting a child I hoped to fall in love with at first sight. I had been popping Prilosect like they were candy and my stomach was still doing flip-flops.

Then, we got a phone call. Carrie Someone-or-another left a message on our answering machine. I actually thought she worked for our adoption agency. I figured my psychological profile had revealed that we really would need a travel companion. Finally - God really does know my limits. So I called this Carrie Whoever-she-was back and found out that she and her husband were travelling with us to meet their child. I had never learned that our adoption agency preferred to send pairs of families. We would be travelling with other Americans!

Next to my child, meeting Carrie and Matt has been the biggest surprise blessing from God. It is amazing to me that God can manage the details for the right parents to find the right child, but in our case, he worked overtime. He helped the right families find first travel partners and then friends for life while they were finding their children in the same town and same orphanage half-way across the world!

Some fun Russian memories of Carrie:

• Washing laundry in the sink and letting it dry. We were so limited on space in the suitcase that we couldn't bring enough closes for the whole trip.


• Talking to her mom at the crack of dawn each morning. The hotel staff couldn't really speak English and always got our rooms and names confused.


• Eating bread dipped in olive-oil at the hotel in Moscow, and eating at Sans Pizza in Astrakhan. Good food in Russia was a big deal for us.

Pam and Carrie in Russia before we got our boys.

In the three and half years since we have been home, our friendship has grown. Carrie is my friend who understands best what I've been through. She is an awesome christian who has taught me so much about being a child of God, and she would make a great pastor's wife if God has that planned for Matt. Carrie is a fantastic Internet researcher, and she is always positive and upbeat. Plus, she is so cute. She has great hair and fun clothes. Even more exciting today, Carrie is a new mom again! I am so happy to tell you that on Friday, their new daughter, Mia MinJee arrived from Korea!!!!

The Ribeiros (Mia, Carrie, Roman, Matt and Avery)

I think Mia looks like her Aunt Pam, and I can't wait to meet her! Congratulations Carrie. I hope this is your best birthday yet! I don't know how you will ever top this one.