Getting Ready

Irina arrives in 26 days! Hooray! We've been busy getting ready.
(Read more about Irina HERE and HERE.)

I've mentioned before that people have been so generous. Here is a huge bin of outfits I matched up for Irina. (sweaters, turtlenecks, shirts, pj's, jeans, pants, sweatpants, fleece, socks, undies, undershirts, toothbrush, hair brush, toothpaste, dresses, gloves, tights) Most of it was donated from several different friends and strangers! I had fun hitting a consignment shop and found some adorable dresses and skirts for church and some other necessary girl items. (I can't tell you how much fun I had doing this!) 

The top bin is the outfits we picked out for Irina in the size we're guessing she wears. The bottom bin is extra larger clothes! She is not used to having more then one outfit at a time and possibly only one outfit per week. So instead of putting all the outfits in her closet -- which would likely be overwhelming, I'm going to set out a new outfit for her each day and then wash them once a week. 

I have some Russian books from the library and I'm working on making 

flash cards and labels for items around the house. 

My sister in law found this great dictionary at her library, and I was able to order us a copy on Amazon. I think it will be VERY helpful!

I think we're almost ready. We'll need to borrow some church shoes once we know her shoe size and purchase her a pair of everyday shoes, probably sneaks, once she arrives. I found a great deal on a warm winter coat in case she doesn't have one and a friend lent us snow pants, in case of snow. Maybe we'll need boots, but we'll cross that bridge later. I have almost all her Christmas presents wrapped and a new stocking to fill. 

Please continue to pray for sweet Irina as she travels soon. It will probably be scary for her at her young age to go live with a family she doesn't know who doesn't speak her language. Not only will there be cultural differences, but also hurt that she has suffered which resulted in her living in an orphanage in the first place. Please pray that we would love her well and share Jesus with her. Please pray that while here she will be connected to a forever family!