My husband Tad and I had been attending the adoption support meetings at IBC when we heard about the orphan exchange program. We agreed it would be good to meet a child and decide whether adoption was right for our family. We have three biological children and I have always had the desire to have at least six and maybe even more. Alexandra called Tad and asked us to host Irina. Shortly after, the Lord clearly showed Tad that Irina was to be a Preston. God confirmed it over and over again!

Finally, the day came when Irina was to arrive. Irina immediately called us Mama and Papa. What a terrific sound that was. I've heard it for years, but this was special, she didn't have to choose us and love us, but she did!! From that moment on, it was like she had always been ours. How could we love someone so much so quickly? The only explanation was that it was a "God thing."

One of our friends was hosting a girl named Svetlana but weren't planning on adopting. Svetlana had spent lots of time at our house and Irina and Svetlana were like sisters. We asked Svetlana if we could adopt her and she said she needed to think about it. She spent that night at our house and as I tucked her in bed she said, "Goodnight Mama." That meant yes!!! We were not going to just have one girl, we were going to have two!!

Soon after Irina and Svetlana were in Russia we heard that Svetlana had a brother. We wanted to adopt her brother, Anatoly, as well. Wow!! My desire to have six children was coming to pass. It was happening a little differently than I had thought, but God's ways our bigger than our ways. God performed miracle after miracle and on December 3, 2001, just three months after the kids left, the adoption was final! Each night when we pray for them, we remindthem that God has a plan and a purpose for their lives. We're so blessed that this was God's plan and purpose for our family.

Melinda Preston