Who is Vika?

I have been asked by a blog friend, well we have a connection that is more than through a blog...she asks who is Vika? It is just amazing how life brings people together for a reason. Friends for 8 years now. Did our path's bring us together from continents away so that she can help bring this wonderful child into our arms? Or is it the great friendship that we have that made her think every possible way to help her friend to not see her sad and fill her with joy for the rest of her life?

Vika and I not only share our determination but also birthday, yeah she is younger 5-10 years (i won't give it away Vika) but we were both born on August 7th. We also became roommates for a while and best friends forever. We are both very determined and will not stop at no, if we want it we will figure out a way to make things happen. Vika moved to Texas two months ago to continue school and get her Masters in Art History. I miss her dearly.

Tyotya Vika (Auntie Vika in Russian) was very influential in bringing Kristina home. She went to Linguistics school in Nizhny Novgorod to be an English teacher when she was 16. She also was married to a very historical figure in Nizhny...we won't go there. But she had a school friend in Nizhny that she reacquainted with only a few years back, imagine that 15 years later or more. She mentioned our intentions to adopt and wanting to go Independent. Seryozha knew a friend and translator whose Mom helped in adoptions in Perm Region. When consulted he recommended to stay away from Perm due to current issues there but to go through his friend a facilitator in the Nizhny Novgorod Region...and the rest is history. I will always be grateful to Vika for making the connection and to my friends in Nizhny for making it all happen. It was not easy, it was not simple, it was not fast but we could not control laws and government emotions driving the process. But they stood by my side miles away and paper after paper we made it happen. Love you all...including Sasha. :-) Sasha the facilitator was very good very nice young man but maintained his distance and managed everything from a business point of view without getting involved emotionally with us or Kristina. He has too. Understood.

Here we are Christmas Eve 2006. Tyotya Vika was telling such a good story we were laughing so hard, later pictures show the tears from laughing. We spend every year together for Christmas and Eater since the day we met. This Christmas will be the first the tradition is broken, but not telling, we may manage to be together once again.